Into the Darkness
by acrosseverystar
Summary: "You do not know of what you ask," he whispered into her neck, his hand trailing down her spine. "I will do all I can to protect you, but I cannot give you what you seek. It wouldn't be fair to you. Please don't ask me again, Maka, I won't take away your freedom."
1. Chapter 1 - Before It All Sets In

Maka had always found the story of Hades and Persephone to be incredibly interesting. The story of the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon and goddess of springtime attracting someone like the ruler of the dead was something she also had a hard time understanding.

When Hades had seen the beauty and innocence of the lovely springtime goddess, he knew that he had to have her. While Maka didn't like the idea of someone owning someone else, she was still a hopeless romantic at heart and found the sentiment endearing.

Demeter flew into a rampage when she learned of her daughter's whereabouts, turning the eternal spring into a barren wasteland. She begged Poseidon and Zeus to help her, and Zeus decreed that if Persephone had not eaten anything in the underworld, then she could stay.

Meanwhile, Hades offered Persephone every delicacy he could, but the goddess still refused to eat. Finally, he offered her a pomegranate and she gave into her hunger and temptation and ate six seeds. When the King of Gods found out, he decreed that she would stay in the underworld with Hades for 6 months of the year, and with her mother for the other 6 months. The story was used by the ancient greeks to explain the seasons.

In some ways, she felt bad for Hades and Persephone.

While the story never said that Persephone grew to love Hades, Maka imagined the she did eventually, which made the six months apart each year all the more bitter. Obviously his original plan to get the woman of his dreams was a bit far fetched, but perhaps she grew to love her God of Death.

If only she had eaten more pomegranate seeds.

When Zeus decided that Persephone must stay away from Hades in out of the underworld for six months, was he actually separating two people who loved each other?

The blonde meister pondered the story frequently as it was a favorite of her mother's. She told the story often to her only daughter, in hopes of getting her to go to sleep at night.

It usually didn't work.

When the story ended, Maka would always ask of it was real. Kami would then smiled at her daughter and brush her head, telling her that Hades was not real, but there was a God of Death, and that she worked for him as a meister.

To a three-year old Maka, the two were the same. A God of the underworld and a God of Death. Then she would ask her mother if Persephone was real as well.

Kami would then kiss the blonde hair of her daughter and tell her that maybe Persephone was real, and maybe one day she would be just like her, spreading joy and life wherever she went.

00000000

"Ready to head back yet, Soul?" Maka called to her partner from across the square.

The pair had spent the week in Vienna, wiping out the remains of a witch training colony that had been unwilling to submit to the treaty created during the battle on the moon.

As members of Spartoi, Maka and her deathscythe partner Soul, had a mission to take them out.

They had done their job expertly, eliminating the six witches housed in Vienna as well as collecting all the souls to take back to Kid.

"Yeah, I'm good," Soul shouted back as he cross the square to his meister.

"Did you find anything for Liz?" Maka asked with a sly grin.

The Deathscythe immediately blushed and tugged his headband down. "Who said I was looking for something for Liz?"

Maka only laughed as they walked toward where he had parked the bike while they shopped. "Come on, Soul, it's obvious that you like her." She elbowed her best friend in the ribs, saying "Besides, why else would you be looking at a jewelry vendor?"

Soul looked away, not wanting to meet his meister's eyes. She was incredibly perceptive when she wanted to be, something he both loved and hated about her.

"Yeah, Whatever, just get on the bike," he said as he situated himself on the seat. She happily sat behind him, wrapping her arms securely around his waist was he kicked the kickstand and started the engine. They both lurched forward as he hit the gas.

"Hey Soul, I think she likes you too," Maka said from behind him as they passed other cars along the freeway.

"Why do you think that, bookworm?" he called back at her.

She growled in response, wishing that she could hit him with a book without killing them both in the process.

"I'm sorry," he called back with a chuckle. "But really, why do you think that?"

The blonde teen smiled. "I accept your apology. But it's more intuition than anything else. Girls just kind of pick up on that kind of stuff," she said brightly. "I can't pin it on an exact moment, but she always seems happier when you're around," she explained, causing her partner to blush even more.

Soul may have been "cool" but he wasn't exactly suave. He was still insecure about girls, but he tried to hide it under male bravado. He did really like the demon pistol, but he worried over the rejection that might follow if he pursued his feelings.

"Besides," Maka continued thoughtfully, "now that you're finally taller than her, it might actually work!"

The growl that followed was loud enough to be heard of the engine of the bike, which only made Maka laugh. She could feel the vibrations from her partner and the erratic wavelength of his soul as she continued the uncomfortable topic.

They continued the rest of the drive in silence, reaching the airport quickly. They showed their DWMA ID's to the red-headed woman at the counter who quickly ushered them to a jet that would be ready to depart for Death City in the next hour. It was really nice having that kind of power.

The flight attendant brought them drinks and a menu to choose from while they waited. Maka settled on steak and ordered salmon for Soul while he scanned through the movies, deciding on what to watch on their flight home.

After they started eating, Maka heard Soul mumble a thank you to his partner.

She didn't say anything in response, she just simply smiled, knowing that it was hard for him to voice his gratitude. She wouldn't force her partner becayse she knew it wouldn't be worth it. Instead, she always employed a gentler approach, one that would yield the same results with the least amount of resistance.

By the time the plane took off, both meister and weapon, were fast asleep in their seats, curled up next to each other. A blonde head could be seen on Soul's shoulder, her face obscured by her hair. His eyes were closed as he slumped back against his seat comfortably. The familiar presence of the other soothed their souls and relaxed their bodies, making the transition to sleep effortless.

The flight attendants cooed when the passed by the pair of teenagers who seemed so comfortable with each other. They had fallen asleep almost as soon as the movie started, so one flight attendant approached and turned the sound off so the two could sleep peacefully.

They slept for the entire nine hour flight. It was a good thing the DWMA had a jet stationed in the Vienna airport, or the flight would've been painfully long and tedious.

Both teens awoke with a start when a voice came from overhead, telling them that they were about to land in Death City. Maka stretched in her seat while Soul slowly opened his eyes lazily, the usually bright scarlet a dull crimson from sleep. He rubbed his eyes absently while Maka finally sat up in her seat and took out her pigtails.

"What are you doing?"

"Fixing my pigtails," she said with a roll of her eyes.

Soul snorted in response. "Why? We're just going to drop off these souls to Kid and then - ohhhh . . ." he said as a smirk grew on his face. His eyes flashed toward his partner.

"It's not like that!" Maka yelped as she punched her partner in the shoulder. A faint blush dusted her cheeks. "He just gets really upset when they're not even, because symmetry . . . and stuff," she trailed off desperately.

"Uh-huh, and stuff."

Soul should've known that the guidebooks on the backs of airline seats were actually very thick, and deadly weapons when wielded by his meister.

He nursed a bruise on his skull the entire way back to the Academy.

**-Wri**


	2. Chapter 2 - The Mirror

Death the Kid smiled fondly at the picture that sat on his desk. It was a picture of Spartoi all together in their uniforms, smiling cheerfully at the camera. Kid, Maka, Soul, and Black Star all sat on a couch, while Liz, Patty, Tsubaki, and the rest of the team stood behind them. Patty had thrown bunny ears over Kid's head when he wasn't looking and Ox had his arm around a fuming Kim.

But what really made the shinigami smile was the memory of the blonde meister sitting next to him, their shoulders brushing as she situated herself on the couch between him and her partner. She grinned brightly at him and reminded him to 'smile for the camera.'

Fortunately, he managed to contain his blush until after the picture was taken.

It had only been a few years since the picture was taken, but already so much had changed.

Tsubaki and Black Star were engaged, much to everyone's joy. The loud-mouthed assassin had finally mustered up the courage to propose to the quiet shadow weapon after two years of dating, and she had gladly accepted.

Kid had taken over for his father as headmaster of the DWMA, and Lord Death. He rarely wore the formal robes that his father had worn, choosing to wear the familiar and much-loved suit instead. A part of him felt like he just wasn't ready to take his father's place and wear the blasted cloak. It was what his father did, not what he did.

The alliance with the witches had allowed things to run much more smoothly for the academy, thought it did make it impossible for anymore deathscythes to be created, much to his regret. Different measures would have to be taken to train meisters and weapons and create suitable weapons for his delegation.

Maka and Soul were a field team for the DWMA, but they had agreed to teach for Marie while she was on maternity leave again with her fourth child. They enjoyed being out in the field, but he appreciated their help in running classes and thought they were perfectly suited for the job.

A knock on the door interrupted him from his thoughts. "It's open!" he called from the seat at his desk.

Maka Albarn and her partner Soul Evans strode in, a large wooden box in the weapon's hands.

"Ah, Maka, right at 8. I appreciate your punctuality," he said with a smile.

She smiled back at him brightly as Soul approached with the box, placing it on the large desk.

"I like what you've done with the place."

"Well the pattern my father left the death room in was completely asymmetric, so that _trash_ had to go," Kid said with a wince, turning his attention to the box on his desk.

Maka suppressed a giggle. Even after all these years he still cared about symmetry.

She glanced around the room, noting that the walls were no longer decorated in grave markers, but were instead covered in thick dark curtains. There were large windows spaced evenly to bring in sunlight, but the room still held an overall mysterious quality to it. The coloring was somber, but not oppressing.

"It's nice, Kid, it suits you." Maka's heart melted a little bit when he absolutely beamed at her comment.

"Anyway," Soul said with a shrug, "These are the souls the with was hoarding. We got all of the ones that hadn't already devoured, there should be 32."

Eyeing the box with a sad expression, Kid opened the lid. He hated that the witches had wasted so many innocent lives.

"Thank you," he told Soul as he reached in a grabbed an ice blue soul gently.

Flashes and memories surfaced. Climbing trees, riding backs on a mountain trail, eating dinner with a family. These were all memories that belonged to a soul that had met an untimely demise.

The reaper could feel the fear and confusion in the innocent soul's wavelength, and once more he hated that someone like him had to exist. The fact that the world needed a grim reaper to keep balance created waves of loathing.

Kid sighed as he brushed the soul with his fingertips, breathing onto it softly. The wavelength of the soul hummed as it slowed, it's motions becoming less frantic. When it finally stopped, he squeezed it gently, the soul dissipating into little wisps of smoke. " Plus dormiant somnum sempiternum , et pacem in aeternum," he whispered to the young soul as he reached to grab the next.

The scythemeister and deathscythe both stood in absolute silence, watching with rapt attention. They watched as Kid released each soul, whispering the same comforting words, sending them all into eternity in the most peaceful state he could muster.

After releasing the last soul, the shinigami looked pained and tired. His golden eyes were downcast and he looked up warily at the pair in front of him.

Maka was the first to speak.

"That was beautiful," she offered quietly as she approached his desk. "But I'm not familiar enough with latin. What did you say after sleep forevermore?" She folded her hands in front of her as she sat in the soft chair across from him.

His mouth turned up slightly. "You have a good ear, I didn't think either of you could hear me," he muttered. "I said 'Plus dormiant somnum sempiternum , et pacem in aeternum' which is latin for 'sleep forever more, and find peace in eternity.' My father taught it to me," he said quietly. "It really soothes the souls that came to an untimely end." He paused sadly before continuing. "Especially the children . . ."

Maka reached forward to grab his hand, stroking his knuckles softly. "I'm sure he would've been really proud of you, Kid." He offered her a grateful smile, his golden eyes meeting the gaze of her clear emerald ones, until Soul cleared his throat

"Well, it's getting late, so I should probably get going," Soul said as he turned toward the door.

Soul could tell that the two probably wanted to be alone and so he tried to back out gracefully from the impending awkward situation.

"I'll go with you," Maka said, hopping up from her seat. She crossed toward the door quickly, turning back to bid farewell and goodnight to the Death god. He returned the sentiment with a smile and a goodnight.

When he heard the door click shut he exhaled deeply. He touched his hand absently where her hand had covered his. How had she managed to see through his hurt and say exactly what he needed to hear? He already missed her comforting presence, caused by her pure soul and bright smile.

She really was something else.

He began to reach for his keys so that he could head home for the night when a ring was heard from his mirror.

Kid turned toward it expectantly, wondering who could be calling.

He gasped and fell to his knees when his father's form met him at the mirror.

He put his head in his hands, trying to understand how such a thing could be possible. His father had been dead for years, and there was no way he could be calling him now. The boy looked up to see his father waving at him.

"Hi there, Kiddo. I bet you're doing great things right now in my place. Since you're getting this, then your sanzu lines must have connected and I'm gone by now." The voice of the previous grim reaper was still cheerful and bright and he waved his hand wildly when he spoke.

"Now, there's something important I need to tell you before I go. I don't know when it'll happen, but I imagine my time in Death City is coming to an end soon, so I've decided to record this message for you. It should come up when your trusty mirror thinks that you're ready to hear it."

_Hear it? Hear what?_ Kid touched the glass of the mirror, wishing that it was more than just a recording. Just one last moment with his father to say goodbye was all he really wanted. To tell him that he loved him and that he should have never doubted him.

"Alrighty, now you're probably an adult by now. What, 19? 20?"

The young shinigami nodded, shocked at his father's foresight.

"Well, then it's time I tell you a little reaper secret! You're certainly old enough by now, especially if mirror thinks you're ready!"

Kid could practically picture the excited smile that would be gracing his father's face when he recorded this message. The thought made his smile slightly, knowing that his father had been happy with idea of his passing.

"What I want to talk to you about, Kiddo, is your Persephone."

_What?_

_Wait, what?_

_Excuse you?_

_My WHAT?_

"Now, I'm guess you're very distraught at the idea of picking a partner that will stand by you, and I absolutely understand, I was daunted too! But my greatest regret, Kidd," the Shinigami said, his voice turning somber, "was not picking someone I loved to stand beside me. I let my fear control me, and I was alone in the end."

"At least, until I created you, Kiddo!" he said suddenly, any trace of seriousness disappearing.

Kid stared at the mirror blankly, his mind spinning in confusion. His father had always been alone, but he never seemed _lonely. _

But maybe there was more to the late Lord Death than he had let on to his son. Clearly he hadn't prepared his son for everything.

Suddenly, images filled the glass. Kid saw flashes of a story. It told the story of Hades and Persephone, one he was very familiar with.

He gasped audibly when the god of the Underworld snatched the lively Persephone from her garden, taking her to the depths of Hell.

Persephone was dressed in white, light emanating from her very being, while Hades, her counterpart, was shrouded in shadows. And yet the two seemed to complement each other well. Aside from the initial abduction, Hades treated his bride with the utmost cordiality and affection, doing all he could to console her to her life. When the young goddess learned more about the Death god, she was filled with compassion that turned to genuine affection.

When the traditional story he had been raised with gave way to a story of love and devotion, he tensed visibly. The mirror showed that Persephone grew to embrace the darkness, and although it never consumed her light, it surrounded her completely, and she welcomed it openly. All she had ever known was light, and while light was beautiful, it could be suffocating without a balance of darkness.

"Hades was the original Death god, called so by the people of his time. We are his direct descendents, and we share his fate. Hades was almost entranced, you see," the shinigami explained as the final images faded. "He was drawn to Persephone. As creatures of death, we crave life and light, the things we do not have and do not understand fully. We are no different from Hades. The time will come, Kiddo, when you too will be drawn to a creature of life and innocence, and you will drag her into the depths of your realm."

"I will never do that!" Kid shouted through gritted teeth. "I have more control than that and I would never do that to her, I couldn't." The grim reaper's body shuddered as he imagined what would happen if he gave into this 'entrancement' like his predecessor.

"I know it's hard to see, my son, but it will be for the best. I believe that Persephone grew to love her dark companion, and if you choose correctly, then yours will love you, embracing her fate as a light in the darkness."

_Never, Never will I do this. Nobody deserves to be forced into the darkness like I have been, _Kid promised to himself.

"You know," the late Death god said with a wink, putting his hand up to his mask as his image began to fade, "Maka Albarn certainly does remind me of springtime."

**responses**

**Zoeyangel: I'm so glad you love the story! Thank you for the reviews, they really keep me going :)  
QuantamTheory: Wow that actually means so much coming from you. I hope you enjoy the next chapter because it only gets sweeter!  
VladmirGluten: I'm right there with you! I have the next chapter completed, but after that I just have rough outlines and a few scenes. Thank you for the awesome review!  
DeathEzio: Okay, after seeing your comment I went and looked at your work! It's really great and I love that you saw some of the same things I did! I look forward to reading more of your work :)**

**\- Wri**


	3. Chapter 3 - Like a Moth to a Flame

Maka Albarn was usually a sound sleeper. In fact, some mornings her partner had to practically roll her out of her bed in the morning as she clutched to her blankets tightly. Suffice it to say, anything short of a fire in her bedroom would not wake the meister from her deep slumber.

But tonight, something had.

She didn't know what it was, but whatever it had been had woken her up, her body breaking out in a cold sweat. She couldn't remember anything from her dream other than an overall feeling of darkness. She vaguely remembered shadows shifting in her dreams, but she could not remember why. The feeling she felt was not one of fear, or anything similar to it, but one of apprehension.

Maka paced restlessly around her room, trying to remember, but any further explanation or memory evaded her.

The blonde teacher couldn't recall that last time she had woken up in the middle of the night from a bad dream, or even the last time she woken in the middle of the night; period.

Eventually she dragged herself back to bed, shivering as she made contact with the cold sheets. After a few moments of tossing and turning, the blonde woman finally lulled herself to a dreamless sleep that she would remain in until sunrise.

00000000

The blonde meister awoke to pounding on her door.

What was that awful sound.

"Come on, Maka, get up! We have a class to teach, remember?"

Oh. It was her partner, ruining her blissful sleep that she damn well deserved.

"I get it you ass, I'm getting up!" she growled back moodily as the pounding finally ceased.

With a sigh, she quickly tossed the covers off her bed and stood up, stretching lazily. Crossing her room to her dresser, she stopped before quickly pulling on a black pencil skirt and white button down. She didn't exactly like pencil skirts because they ruined her mobility, but Tsubaki had told her that she 'had to look professional' or else 'the kids wouldn't respect her,' or some garbage like that.

Fortunately, she had managed to find a skirt with slits in the side, allowing her a little wiggle room, should she ever need it.

She'd probably need it, knowing her partner.

When they arrived at the academy, courtesy of Soul's motorcycle, they were greeted by stares.

"Do I have something on my face?" Maka whispered to her partner, who glanced at her and shrugged.

"Nah, they're probably just surprised by your lack of boobs," he retorted with a grin.

The blonde meister seethed, but she didn't have a book on her, so Soul's skull was safe for the moment. She finally understood when they passed by a group of students that were whispering in hushed tones.

"_Isn't that the last deathscythe?" _a boy in blue asked his dark haired friend.

"_I think so! And his meister too," _his friend responded, nodding up and down._,_

"_My mom told me about the battle on the moon, and she said they were there!"_

"_Why are they here, shouldn't they be in the field?" _A red-headed girl asked her two friends.

"_Didn't you listen to Mrs. Marie? They're teaching while she's gone!"_

"_Ohhhh" _said the girl with bright red hair. She looked to be about fourteen and she smiled widely when Maka and Soul passed her. Maka smiled back at her and the girl's eyes widened at the incident.

Maka and Soul entered the crescent moon EAT class just moments before the bell rang, giving them only a short amount of time to prepare for their lesson. Fortunately, they had practically lived the curriculum, so they were more than adequately prepared.

The blonde teacher smiled at each student individually as they filed into the room, while the deathscythe stared back with a lazy glare, his red eyes practically screaming disinterest.

"Soul!" Maka chided her partner, "be nice to them. We're going to be teaching them for awhile," to which he shrugged and finally nodded, straightening his jacket as the bell rang.

The deathscythe strode to the center of the room as students stopped chatting. "My name is Soul Evans, I'm one of Lord Death's deathscythes. And that," he gestured with his thumb to his partner, "is my partner and three-star meister, Maka Albarn."

Maka waved at the students, and a few waved back, while most just stared with open mouths at the pair.

"Any questions?" he asked, though he hoped they wouldn't have any.

A girl in the front row raised her hand immediately and Maka nodded at her.

"So, are you guys, like, dating or something?" she asked, twirling a strand of hair on her fingertip.

"Hell no," came Maka's immediate response, while Soul's gagging reflex was triggered.

Suddenly, it seemed as though all hell broke loose. Students began shouting 'I told you so's' and 'you owe me five bucks!' while three girls in the back row began giggling, clearly having their eyes set on the white-haired scythe. One boy punched another, and his friend transformed his arm into a blade to fight back.

The blonde meister tried to return order, but to no avail. It was the first day of class and she had already lost control of her students. Was her year this bad, or was this class just exceptionally awful?

"Enough!" came a voice from the doorway. Immediately all the students sat down, their mouths closed as they avoided making eye contact with the menacing man who had just entered the room. "I expected better things from this class," he said as he strolled to the meister/weapon pair.

"Soul, Maka, settling in okay?" he said with a wry smile.

"Yeah, sorry Kid, we kind of already lost control of the class," she said sheepishly, pulling on one of her identical braids nervously. She had decided to switch out of her usual pigtails, opting for what she thought was a more 'sophisticated' but still symmetric and maintainable look.

There was a strange glint in the reaper's eyes when he looked at her, something that Maka brushed off immediately. It was a dark look that made her shiver, but the feeling wasn't necessarily bad, just different. Maybe, exhilerating?

Kid laughed quietly before sending death glares at the students in the class. He stood next to his follow meister, gesturing to both meister and weapon. "This is Ms. Albarn and Mr. Evans. They will be your teachers until Mrs. Stein returns from maternity leave."

The Death god then clasped his hands tightly behind his back and began to walk back and forth in front of the front row. "They are both extremely talented fighters and one of the best pairs I have ever seen. You are very fortunate to be able to learn from them."

He stopped pacing and fixed a glare toward the three girls in the back. "They are also my friends, and I will not tolerate any disrespect towards them, nor will they. Are we clear?" he asked, his voice terrifyingly quiet.

The entire room shook their heads violently as they responded, fear evident on their faces.

"Good."

The headmaster turned quickly to the new teachers, a smile as he looked at the blonde meister in particular. "Let me know if they give you anymore trouble," he said as he headed for the door.

Once Kid was out of the room, Maka exhaled a sigh of relief. The class was still dead silent, so she decided it was the perfect opportunity to begin. "Alright, now that we've got that introduction out of the way, why don't we show you guys what we're really capable of?" she said with a smirk.

If the frightened look on the faces of her students were any indication of what was to come, then Maka figured she would _really _enjoy teaching.

00000000

That was a close one.

And when Kid said a close one, he meant a _really close one._

He had been in his office when he felt the distressed wavelength of her soul as her class broke into chaos. Without any hesitation, he dropped the student files on his desk and bolted towards the classroom. The shinigami paused outside the door, creating a calm and powerful exterior.

It took all of his resolve to not let it fall when he saw her.

Sunlight streamed in through an open window, cascading over her, making her blonde hair shine in the light. He tried not to drink in her image greedily, focusing instead on the task at hand.

There was also an overwhelming desire to protect her, to take her from this unruly environment, and bring her to one where she would be safe and cared for. Maka would probably kill him if he told her that he wanted to protect her, but he still wanted to snatch her up anyway.

The amount of physical restraint to not act on that impulse was no easy feat.

_That damn mirror, _the Shinigami muttered to himself.

He would be lying if he said that his thoughts hadn't been plagued by the green-eyed meister since his mirror had shown him the message his father left.

The fact that he hadn't just taken her any sooner spoke volumes about his self restraint. But as much as he wanted to bring her to his realm of darkness, into the depths of his soul, he knew he would never force that upon her. She did not deserve to be shrouded in the void of light, being the only thing bright and beautiful that he saw. Maka was far too precious, both to him and to others around them. She deserved a life in the sunlight that would shine over her as much as she deserved.

But he was still drawn to her like a moth to a flame. That was something he could never deny to himself.

Furthermore, it was something he wouldn't deny to himself.

_You're just biding your time, _a greedy voice in his head spoke. _Eventually, you will take her through the veil of darkness, letting her soul cast a dim glow over your shadows, saving you from your deepest fears. Just give in already. You know you want to, _it whispered to him.

_No! _he shouted at the voice in his head, hissing at the thought of the pain it would cause her. _I would rather die alone!_

_And so you will, _it chided softly, disappearing from his thoughts.

He ran a hand through his hair, clutching the strands in frustration.

But there was no denying it. It would happen.

It was simply a matter of how long.

**A/N: First, this is kind of my favorite chapter so far, so I hope you guys loved it! The next one is day and the fifth chapter is partially written. I just really love this story and you readers, so I decided to update a few days early!**

**Responses!**

**DeathEzio: Oh, I really love the latin thing too! I admit that I had to use google translate though . . . I'm really glad you love the story! I hope you continue Heroes of Madness since I love that story and where it's going!**

**ZoeyAngel: Thank You! It's been really hard to write Lord Death, so it means a lot to me that you said that!**

**\- Wri**


	4. Chapter 4 -Prelude to Pomegranates

**A/N: I am currently writing chapter 6, so I decided to submit this one a little early :) Now, for the responses!**

**ZoeyAngel: Damn, your review was like the holy grail of reviews! It left some criticism that made me think, while still being incredibly uplifting, telling me exactly what you like. I'm so glad that you like this Kid. I'm trying to imagine him as he would be, older and more mature now that he has the mantle of death over him. Also, getting to see h is innermost thoughts make him seem a little darker than he was in the anime and manga.  
Guest: I'm so glad you feel like you found the "Jackpot" of KidxMaka fics, and I hope that you stay along for the ride!  
FossilQueen1984: Holy Hell, 3 REVIEWS IN A ROW. Wow, just wow. Yes, I loved putting the note about Stein and Marie since I think they're so incredibly cute! I imagine them having a crap ton of kids since Marie is such a mom (Kinda like how I see Sokka and Suki from Avatar, you see it if you watched it!) Anyway, I'm glad you loved it, thanks for the reviews!  
Guest: I can only guess at what made you "LOL" but I am glad to have been able to do it!  
DeathTheKat: Thank You! I love the mythology twist, and I've actually discovered recently that there are other KidXMaka stories with a bit of mythology in them (DeathEzio being an author of one that I adore!) so you should check those out too :)**

Maternity can be an incredibly long, and incredibly painful process. Not just for hormonal and pregnant women themselves, but also for those that have to deal with said pregnant women.

And even more so for those that have to teacher her class.

Of course there were days where she adored teaching. She enjoyed the idea of shaping minds, preparing meisters and weapons for the challenges ahead of them. But sometimes it took all of her willpower to not tear out her pigtails, throw her shoes and the girls in the back, and storm out of the room, never to return.

Maka tried very hard not to get frustrated with the students in her class, she really did. While she appreciated the fact that they wanted to know about Asura and the battle on the moon, she couldn't tell them the story _every day. _She needed to be teaching them about qualifications for a kishin and the many different ways it can manifest itself and alter a soul.

One morning she felt ready to throw something when the bell rang.

With her class dismissed and Soul having a lunch break with Black Star, Maka was left on her own for a few minutes. She relished the idea, enjoying the calm and quiet she barely had now that she was a teacher.

As the teacher began to pluck at her salad, a thought struck her.

_Why not go have lunch with Kid? He probably eats lunch by himself everyday. I'm sure he could use the company, _she thought to herself.

The blonde meister quickly repacked her lunch and headed towards her friend's office, hopeful at the idea of a quiet and intellectual lunch. Death knew she didn't get those with Soul very often.

Knocking on the door loudly, she pushed it open when she heard a muffled, "Enter."

"Oh, it's you, Maka," Kid said, looking up from the piles of paperwork on his desk. The Shinigami grinned at her slightly, his golden eyes glancing in her direction as he placed the piles of paper on his desk in neat stacks.

"Mind if I join you for lunch?" Maka asked as she crossed the Death Room to his desk, pulling up a seat. He gestured for her to sit and she took it gratefully, placing her food on her lap. "Are you not eating?" she asked.

The Grim reaper shook his head at the comment. "Not yet, Liz is supposed to pick something up for me. She should be here in a few minutes."

"What's that smell?" Maka asked, inhaling a sweet scent in the room. She enjoyed it, a fruit scent that made her mouth water.

"Pomegranate," Kid brushed off, marking some forms on his desk absently. "Patty bought me an oil burner for Christmas last year, and she's been begging me to use it." He then gestured to a giraffe patterned oil burner on a nearby bookshelf. "Of course, I had to get a second one for symmetry purposes," he said with a gesture to an identical one on the opposite shelf.

Maka stabbed another piece of spinach, placing it in her mouth gingerly, giggling at the bizarre decoration.

There was a moment of silence while Maka sat eating her salad before Kid cleared his throat and clasped his hands on his desk.

"Maka, may I ask you something?"

She looked into the golden gaze of her fellow meister quizzically. "Sure," she answered, putting her fork down.

He closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Any look into her eyes that lasted more than a moment ruined his train of thought and made it impossible to think. He wanted to leap across the desk and close the distance between him, giving into the greedy voice in his head. He wanted to kiss her, to run his hands through her hair and breathe her in.

But he wouldn't do that.

"How would you like to teach for the Academy full time?" he asked smoothly, pushing a form across the desk to her.

The scythemeister looked at the form in confusion. "Teach what? I wasn't aware there were any openings," she asked honestly.

The shinigami put his elbows up on his desk and folded his hands, resting his chin on them while he stared the scythemeister in the eye. There was an aura about him that hinted at the true power of his presence.

"It would be an interesting position, for sure, something most would consider . . . non-traditional," he said with a smirk.

Maka had to admit that she was intrigued by the notion. While she was okay with teaching Marie's class temporarily, she couldn't see herself doing that all the time. At least not yet.

Perhaps a more non-traditional position would suit her.

"Tell me about it." She returned his gaze fiercely, trying to keep herself from shivering when she looked into the pools of molten gold.

Kid leaned back in his chair, placing his arms on the armrests. "I'd like you to teach Soul Perception."

Maka stared at him blankly. "Soul perception? But not everyone even has that ability."

Soul perception was certainly an uncommon gift. Of their team, the only competent users were Kid and Maka.

The shinigami nodded. "You wouldn't be teaching everyone, just the students who possess, or might possess the gift."

"Might possess?" she asked, confusion in her voice. "Most students either have it or don't," she stated evenly.

Kid looked away for a moment, his gaze traveling to one of the windows absently. "Yes, well, I believe that the gift may lie dormant within some students. I also think that since you are one of the best soul perception users I know, aside from Stein, there is nobody more qualified to teach it."

The blonde blushed at the compliment. Kid was always honest, so she knew he wasn't saying something he didn't believe with the utmost conviction. "Alright," she said with a nod. "Tell me more about this idea."

If Maka had been looking, she would have seen Kid release the breath he had been holding. He had to admit that he was worried she wouldn't accept his compliment, since Maka was notorious for being unable to see her own ability. "Well," he began, "It would have more field training application. You would probably work with a small contingent of students, teaching and developing their perception abilities through practice."

"And probably trial and error," Maka added under her breath, causing Kid to chuckle.

"That too," he added softly.

He leaned in closer across the desk, her presence drawing him in. He was completely and utterly intoxicated with every little thing she did.

For Death's sake, all the girl was doing right now was breathing, and he could barely even keep his head straight.

_Imagine if she was breathing next to you, her lips ghosting over your ear, every exhale tickling your neck, _a devious voice whispered in his mind. Kid shuddered slightly at the image.

He broke the moment of silence. "So how does it sound?" he asked.

She picked up the contract in front of her. "It certainly sounds intriguing. Can I think about it?" she asked him, standing up from her seat.

Again, he nodded. "Certainly. But are you leaving already? You haven't even finished your lunch," he pointed out.

Maka giggled, sitting back in her seat. "You still want me to eat with you?"

Kid looked her in the eyes, his voice completely serious. "Maka, I will always be happy to eat with you."

00000000

_You selfish little bastard, _Kid thought to himself as he rinsed his face at the sink of his bathroom. He wiped his face with the snow white towel, the material soft on his skin.

_Don't even try to pretend that you're doing this for her or for the students._

Kid wished that he could rebut the thought, but he couldn't. It was completely true. He was a selfish little bastard, simply waiting for the right opportunity.

He hated himself for it, but that didn't mean he would stop.

Maka drew him in, she brought him closer to a light he never imagined he could approach. A light that would always be just out of his reach, taunting him endlessly. And yet there she stood, so close to him, allowing him to approach her without fear or worry. In fact, he could almost say that she welcomed his presence and the shadows that came with it. Maybe that was what it's like to be an angel, to be so welcoming of the darkness.

He looked up suddenly at the mirror when it rang, alerting him of a call. He accepted it without thinking.

"Hey, Kid ab - AAAHH," came Maka's surprised shriek from the other side of the mirror.

"What is it?" Kid growled, placing the towel on the counter. He could see a faint blush dusting her cheeks and she avoided looking at him.

"You're uh, you're not wearing a shirt, and it kind of surprised me," she offered timidly.

Kid's face blanked for a moment until he started laughing uncontrollably. "That's it?" he let out between laughs.

"Hey, I was caught off guard!" Maka shouted indignantly.

"I'm sorry," he said in between chuckles. He pulled a white button up over his shoulders, letting the shirt hang open and unbuttoned. "Better?" he asked with a grin.

Maka wished books could be sent through the mirror.

"So what did you call about?" he asked casually. "You don't usually make personal calls this late," he teased, eliciting another indignant huff from the meister.

"I was going to tell you that I want to take the job, but maybe I just changed my mind!"

Kid grinned widely, taking a step closer to the mirror. "That's wonderful, I'm very glad to hear it."

"Yeah, it seems like a good opportunity. And since I won't have to teach full time, I can still do field work," she said cheerfully.

Kid tried to glance discreetly at the meister. She stood in her bedroom, her blonde hair was wet and down, brushing just past her shoulders, leaving trails of darks spots on her clothes. Her black tank top was stark against her pale skin, illuminating it in the light of the room.

A thought struck him.

"We should celebrate your new job," Kid said softly, his gaze lingering on her mouth.

"What do you have in mind?" Maka asked, brushing a hand through her wet hair, droplets landing on her sleeve.

"We're going to throw you a party."

00000000

Liz smiled devilishly from the other side of the bathroom door. Her plans were going accordingly, something she was incredibly excited about.

The demon pistol always thought that the shinigami and the scythemeister would be perfect together. Of course, it didn't hurt that the scythemeister was the partner of the boy she liked and getting said girl with her meister would make things less complicated. Of course it had nothing to do with that, this was all about Kid and Maka, and their happiness.

But she couldn't help it if she benefitted from the two getting together.

00000000

Maka had to try really hard not to giggle into her pillow like a little girl.

She was an adult, Dammit, and she was _not _going to act like a teenage girl when her crush talked to her in the hallway.

Even if that was kind of what happened.

After she hung up on Kid, shutting off the mirror, she ran straight to her bed, clutching her pillow to her chest and covering her face.

_Keep it together, Maka, just because you saw his abs, and his hair all messy, and . . . _

_Screw it, giggle like a little bitch._

And she did.

Of course, Maka probably would have had a little more reservation if she knew that mirrors could work one way, allowing a certain Shinigami to watch her reaction and chuckle to himself before shutting off his side of the mirror completely.

Being a reaper certainly had it's benefits, and although he would not condone full on spying, Kid did like to use the mirror to check on Maka and make sure he was okay.

And maybe see her reaction to certain events.

**\- Wri**


	5. Chapter 5 - It Takes Two to Tango

**A/N: Okay, I have to say, it's really funny when I read your guys's reviews since I'm currently writing two chapters ahead, so I have no idea what the hell you're talking about at first, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T LOVE GETTING THEM! Also, does this feel like it's progressing too slowly, or is it okay the pace it is? The next chapter is when a huge plot point is introduced, so I hope you guys can be patient so I won't put up 6 until I finish 7 and at least start on 8, but that should be in the next few days. Tuesday or Wednesday, maybe? Who knows!**

**Responses:  
DeathEzio: Yeah, I found myself really like the shirtless Kid scene too! ;) This one has some really good Kid moments too, so I hope you really like this chapter!  
QuantamTheory: Not going to lie, after reading your work I may or may not have developed a small author crush on you, so reading your reviews fill my heart with little warm fuzzies that make me want to write a hell of a lot more :)  
NickyRockit: Yeah I think their relationship would be really complex, and while Kid is so lovable and adorable, he definitely has a dark badass side.  
ZoeyAngel: I definitely really look forward to your reviews every time I post! I've been keeping up with your stories and I really like them, so keep writing! Your reviews remind me to write Kid the way I see him and the way I imagine he would be whenever I doubt myself on how he would act, so thank you so fricking much.**

Green really was a good color on Maka.

Spring green, emerald green, pale aquamarine.

Hell, she'd probably look good in neon green.

She looked good in anything.

_She'd look even better in nothing._

_Okay, keep it together Kid, _Kid chided himself. But he had to admit, it was hard not to watch her as she floated around the room, greeting and thanking the guests at the event.

He knew that Liz had practically forced the blonde meister into the dress, but it looked wonderful on her. The forest green brought out the darker tones in her eyes, the high waisted dress accenting her narrow waist, and the floor length skirt only made her long legs more apparent. The gossamer fabric shimmered as she walked, making her seem like a fairy child floating through the meadows of her home while lights flickered around her. Her blonde hair was pinned up in the back with a twenties style headband keeping it in place.

She greeted everyone graciously, smiling genuinely at each congratulations on her new teaching position. She looked alive and happy, a sort of energy casting a glow over the room that no mere light fixture could match.

Kid decided then and there, that he would throw her a million parties if she smiled like that every time.

Eventually, the blonde meister found her way to Kid's side, her face flushed with the excitement from the evening.

"Thank you, Kid, but you really didn't have to do this for me," she said as she stood next to him. They stood near the edge of the ballroom, just in front of the doors that led outside.

The Shinigami raised an eyebrow at her. "I didn't? Ah well, I am glad I did regardless. It's nice to know that you own formal attire," he teased.

Maka puffed out her cheeks in defiance, a slight pout settling on her face. "That's not funny!' she protested.

Kid chuckled at her outburst. "Yes it is," he said. "But you do look beautiful tonight," he said sincerely, brushing his hand against her cheek. The blonde meister blushed at the compliment, her hands fidgeting nervously with the fabric of her dress.

"Thanks, Kid, that's really sweet of you to say," she responded, her eyes glued to the floor.

"I think I'm going to go get a drink," Kid said suddenly. "Would you care for one?"

Maka nodded, and Kid left to go grab two glasses of champagne. As the shinigami stepped away momentarily, Soul approached his partner, a certain swagger in his step.

"Hey Maka, you're blushing," Soul said with a laugh.

"No I'm not!" she said indignantly, her eyes flashing. "What about you? I saw you and Liz dancing earlier. You two looked pretty cozy," she said slyly, her gaze flickering to Liz across the room. She stood with her sister, laughing hysterically with wine glasses in their hands.

"Yeah, well, I like her," Soul said. He shifted his weight uncomfortably and looked toward the demon pistol when he said it.

Maka smirked at him. "The tell her."

"Only if you tell Kid," he shot back at her.

"Tell Kid what?" Kid asked as he stood next to Maka, handing her a champagne flute.

Maka spluttered while she looked at her partner for help. Unfortunately, her partner had disappeared as soon as the shinigami approached, so the scythemeister was on her own. "Uhhh," Maka spluttered as she looked for something to distract him with. "That the painting over there is just a little off-center," she said quickly, gesturing across the room.

Kid cocked an eyebrow at her. He was very aware of everything's location in the room, and he knew very well that she was lying. "I know very well that it's perfectly centered. What I don't know, is what you're so obviously trying to hide from me."

He took a step closer to her, his mouth just inches from her ear. "Rest assured," he breathed, "I will find out eventually. You can't keep secrets from Death."

And as quickly as he was there, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine, he was gone. He stepped back, straightening his jacket as though nothing had happened. As though he hadn't just tiptoed over a very carefully kept line that kept them both from doing something they might regret.

Or something that might change the lives they had carefully planned out for themselves.

Kid took a step next to Maka abruptly, holding his hand out to her as he set their glasses down on the table. "Would you care to dance, Ms. Albarn? I believe the next waltz is about to begin." he asked softly, his eyes meeting hers with intensity.

Maka smiled at him and put her hand in his. He led her to the center of the ballroom as the first notes of a waltz struck out. The strings introduced Tchaikovsky's _valse de fleurs _as Kid put his hand on her lower back, pulling her close to him.

They could feel the body heat radiating off them, but the traditional pose kept them apart. As the music picked up and other couples joined them on the floor they increase the speed at which they danced around the room. They turned in sync with the other couples, Maka's mind wondering at how Kid could be so good at dancing, as to keep someone as clumsy as her upright without incident.

"My father made me take years of formal dance training," he told Maka when he noticed a confused look on her face halfway through the waltz. "He was very convinced that I be raised like a gentleman, for reasons he did not ever choose to disclose to me."

She nodded at his response as the music picked up again, leaving the two focused on the steps they were taking. Maka's skirts floated around her, trailing along the floor slightly, leaving a brushing sound. As the violins ascended Kid picked her up by her waist, lifting her into the air for a moment. The blonde meister let out a laugh at the feeling, a huge grin on her face. The music ended just a few measures after he put her down and she found herself leaning into him slightly.

"Maka, have you ever done the tango before?" he asked as she pulled back from him slightly.

"Once," she answered shyly. "Soul tried to make me learn, but I wasn't very good," she said bitterly, her hands fisting in the fabric of her skirt.

The shinigami chuckled at the thought of the bruises that were probably on Soul's toes. But he was glad Soul had taken the time to teach her the basics. It made his job a lot easier.

"Well, here's your second chance," he said with a grin as he gestured for the guitarist to begin strumming. The second chord in, her pulled her flush against him, stepping forward to force her back, his left leg going in between her legs. He continued this way, circling them around the center of the floor until the key of the song changed and other instruments joined in.

Kid grabbed her wrist and dipped her slightly, putting her back on his bended knee. Maka stifled a gasp at the sudden movement, but her body obeyed his gentle pushing.

They were a blur, moving quickly as the crowd of guests stepped back to watch the spectacle. "You're better than I thought you would be," Kid pointed out smartly.

"Yeah, aren't you lucky?" Maka huffed as he lifted her up in the air again.

As he set her down, he twisted her around, pushing her back against his chest. He could smell her hair as he held her close and the music paused momentarily, as if to allow him to embrace this glimpse into what shouldn't be his.

When the music picked up again, he turned her to face him. "Maka, put your arms around my neck," he said softly. "Clasp them together tightly and then pick up your left foot and shift your weight to your right toe."

She obeyed instantly, her emerald gaze never leaving his as she leaned into him. He stepped back, effectively "dragging" her across the floor in traditional tango fashion.

"I don't know why you think you can't dance, you're actually not that bad," he said as he spun her out, his hand clasped tightly to hers. "You really just need someone to teach you."

"Oh, and who would do that?" she asked innocently.

"I might know someone," he replied thoughtfully.

As the music came to an end, both were breathing heavily from the exertion from the dance. They looked around them in surprise when they heard the applause from the crowd. For those few minutes on the dance floor, they had been in their own little word, as if nothing else mattered.

"Nobody should have more attention than me! Even if that was kind of cool . . ." Black Star trailed off as his fiancee hushed him from across the room.

Kid held out his arm to Maka. "Would you like to get some air outside? I feel a little tired after that Tango," he said with a glint in his eyes. Maka nodded, hooking her arm through his. They left the ballroom, heading out toward the terrace as the hushed crowd watched them carefully. Eventually, they returned to their conversations, but the two outside were not forgotten by their friends and peers.

The white marble railing gave way to steps that led to an awning filled with greenery, all evenly distributed and maintained. Flowers hung from trellises, enveloping them in their heady scent. Maka put her elbows on the railing, leaning on it slightly as she bathed in the pale moonlight, basking in it's dim glow. The light practically radiated off her as the jasmine flowers near her brushed against her skin.

"I didn't know you could dance that well, Kid," Maka said suddenly, her hands rubbing her arms slightly at the chill of the night air.

"Cold?" Kid asked, concern in his voice.

Maka shook her head no but she felt a warm presence spreading over her bare arms and shoulders, Kid's suit jacket enveloping her small frame. The fabric was soft on the inside and she could smell his musky scent from it's collar. She breathed a quiet thank you to the shinigami that he nodded at, his gaze distant.

"There's a lot you don't know about me."

"What do you mean?" she asked. The meisters had been friends for a long time and years of missions had brought them together on frequent occasions.

"Let me rephrase that," he said quickly when he saw a look of hurt flash across her face. "There are things I haven't told you, not because I was keeping a secret, but because I didn't think it was relevant," he added carefully. "I trust you completely, don't think that I don't." The shinigami put a hand on her back assuredly, the warmth of his palm seeping through his jacket and her dress.

"I guess that makes sense, you don't really know everything about me," she responded honestly.

"I'd like to," he replied, his voice barely audible.

But she heard him.

She was about to ask him what he meant when they heard a loud crash from a few feet away, following by a flash of lighting. Maka turned to the sound, whipping her head to the right as her body straightened into a defensive stance. Kid situated his body in front of hers instinctively, shielding her from view.

Slowly, a lithe form emerged from the trees. Before them stood a witch with thick black hair and grey wolf ears on the top of her hair. She was wore a combination of black leather and grey fur, and she held a battle axe in her right hand, swinging it casually.

"Long time no see, Kid," her sultry voice called from across the garden. She smiled darkly at him, taking a few steps closer.

Kid swore under his breath. "What do you want, Vera?" he hissed at her, his arms pushing Maka behind him as she tried to peer at the witch.

Vera clicked her tongue a few times. "Is that any way to talk to an ally?" she asked. "And all this time I thought we were friends," she said with a pout. She shrugged her shoulders as she approached the railing, resting her hands on the smooth stone. "Ariel heard about the death of the witches in Vienna, and she's pissed. I just came here to warn you," she said softly. "But who is this little beauty?" she asked, gesturing to Maka who was peeking around Kid's shoulder.

Kid shot Maka a look, trying to cover her from Vera's gaze. "It doesn't matter, Vera. And why is Ariel upset?" he asked, his tone dark as his golden eyes narrowed.

"Well, apparently one of the witches that was killed was her sister. She wants retribution," she said, pushing her thick hair behind her shoulder. "Her name was Malavy, she was a ram witch, specialized in Earth magic and regeneration." Vera looked over at Maka when she heard a gasp come from the blonde girl. "You know something about it, girly?" she asked, her eyes suspicious.

"I had a job to do, and she was breaking the treaty. I did what I had to," Maka responded, raising her chin arrogantly as she stepped out from behind Kid. "I wish I didn't have to kill her, but I did. She was taking innocent souls."

Vera raised her hands in defense as she took a step back. "Hey now girly, I'm not here to fight you. I'm just here to warn you. If Ariel finds out it was you who killed her sister, you'll have hell to pay, treaty or no treaty."

Both women turned toward Kid when they heard a low growl come from his throat. He reached for Maka's hand, pulling her back to his side, his eyes flashing toward Vera. "Tell her," he said through gritted teeth, "that Ariel will have to go through me if she wants to lay a finger on Maka."

Maka looked up at him in surprise. She had always been perfectly capable of taking care of herself, and she frequently took the more dangerous missions and Kid had never been so protective before. Why was he defending her now?

The wolf witch chuckled darkly, swinging the battle axe around her wrist. "I'll tell her the girl is under your . . . protection," she said. She laughed dryly. "Just hope she doesn't find out about her at all," Vera reminded him.

Kid nodded in reply, his posture still stiff as he held Maka's hand tightly. Maka saw his jaw tighten and she shuddered at the thought of all the rage he was holding back at the moment.

Vera smiled before stepping back into the shadows of the trees, her tail swishing behind her.

And just like that, she was gone.

But Kid still clung to Maka's hand tightly.

And as much as she hated to admit it, she clung to his.

And it wasn't out of fear.

**-Wri**


	6. Chapter 6 - The Burning of Flesh

Scars are very funny.

Each indenture on the skin has a story behind it. Sometimes it's a funny one, like the one on Maka's right wrist from when she was three and she fell off a bookcase, trying to reach a book on the top shelf.

Sometimes they're small, little ridges that are only felt when you run your fingers across the flesh. Others are large, running across large expanses of skin, like the one on Kid's back from an encounter with a witch when he was nine, the burst of magic cutting across his skin quickly, blood seeping from the wound into his white shirt.

But those are the physical scars, the ones that you can see on the surface. Sometimes they are simply physical manifestations of ones that run far deeper.

Some are hard to find, buried under hidden emotion and pain that take time to sift through, and the trust of the person that carries them. Revealing these scars is far more painful than revealing the physical ones, because they leave us vulnerable and bare. They reveal some of our darkest secrets and hurtful memories, ones that we wished did not exist.

Very few people knew that on the inside of Kid's left wrist was a scar in the shape of a skull. This mark looked like a tattoo, but scar was a more accurate description, due to the meaning behind it.

It was branded onto his skin by a group that he wished did not exist.

His father's subordinates.

When he was a small child, they took him from the care of the woman who raised him, snatching him from his crib while he slept.

These creatures were not human, but they were Shinigami. They lorded over the death of mortals, under the jurisdiction of their lord, the Lord of Death.

One day, they would be under the jurisdiction of the next Lord of Death.

Kid.

They planned to indoctrinate him into their service, bringing him under their control. They marked him with the mark of a shinigami, something that he was not supposed to get until later in life. The one who marks a shinigami then has certain rights over them, which is why the marking of one is so sacred among them.

It was supposed to be Lord Death who marked his son, they day he turned eighteen, binding them to each other forever.

_Scant traces of light filtered in the dark tunnel, leaving lines of dark violet in an otherwise black room. Three Shinigami stood near a toddler on a snow white blanket, the toddler's golden eyes wide in fear._

_They approached him slowly until they completely encircled him, sitting around him with their knees touching. _

_The oldest one, known as Regret, let out a hiss at the child when it cried out. His brother, Pain, grabbed his hand and twisted it at the wrist, warning him silently to not touch the child._

_They both turned toward Sorrow, their undisputed leader, who sat quietly, pale yellow eyes staring at the child knowingly._

"_When, brother?" Regret asked Sorrow._

_Sorrow did not answer immediately, instead he pondered at the shinigami child in front of him. This child was the heir to their master, the one who ruled them undisputedly. The one that forced them to reap the souls of the living from their place in the underworld. They did not do this at their own discretion, instead following the direction of _The Far Shore _on when to take mortal's lives._

"_Hand me the brand, Pain," Sorrow's voice rasped. Sorrow passed the brand to his brother immediately, the sharp metal glinting in the violet light._

_As the child cried out, Sorrow reached for his left wrist, crushing the hot metal against the soft flesh of the child. "__Imperium meum , o filius mortis est. Flecte ad voluntatem meam in perpetuum,*" he rasped softly as tears spilled from the child's eyes. There was a sizzle as the flesh burned, but Sorrow did not remove the brand._

_He grinned down at the child as he slowly removed the metal tongs. A grey cloak shrouded most of his face from view, but his malicious smile could be seen as he spoke. "One day, little one, one day I will have need of you. And this mark," he said, gesturing to the skull shaped brand, "binds you to me. Forevermore," he whispered._

_Suddenly, a bright light filled the room and the three shinigami scrambled away from the child as their sister, known as Clarity, stormed in and plucked the crying child from the floor, clutching him to her breast. _

_The brothers moved to take the child from her, but she hissed venomously at them and suddenly a larger, more powerful, presence was felt._

_Lord Death was here to reclaim his son, and come hell or highwater, he was going to get him back. _

Kid still shuddered when he remembered the look of rage on his father's face when he saw the mark.

There was a reason the other shinigami, aside from a handful that had helped his father reclaim him, had not left the pits of hell they were confined to for over a decade, and why Kid had still not seen so much of his own realm.

But one day, he would have to return and show them that they had no power over him. As a Death god, he was supreme, bowing to no one, including those that were supposed to be his subordinates.

And he knew he would not be able to face them alone.

00000000

Maka smiled brightly at the weapon in front of her. The girl, appropriately named Angel, was fifteen years old. She was Maka's first Soul Perception student, one that she had agreed to tutor after school while still teaching Marie's class.

How she managed to do both jobs was beyond her, but Maka knew that she'd get the moon if Kid asked her to. That's just how love worked.

"Alright, we need to fine tune your soul perception a little more," the scythemeister said, turning her attention to her student.

Angel smiled brightly at her, her large grey eyes filled with adoration. Her silvery white hair floated around her in thick waves, brushing against the white of her dress. She really did look like an angel, an ethereal quality settling around her.

"What do you have in mind?" she asked, taking a seat next to her teacher in the classroom.

Maka thought briefly, tapping her finger on her chin. "We should probably start by talking about the different types of souls," she said, reaching for a book at her right. It was labeled _The Index of Souls_, and Maka had found the material very useful.

"We know that most souls appear ice blue at a glance. These are pure, untouched, mortal souls. However, if we look closer, we can see individual details of each soul."

Angel nodded, taking in the information quickly and writing it down in a notebook.

The blonde meister grinned when she saw the weapon taking notes. Maybe she wasn't such a bad teacher after all . . .

"Besides a soul's wavelength, you can also see it's age, gender, and usually some of the important characteristics of the soul. These can include traits like compassion, loyalty, determination, dependability, intelligence, creativity, and many others. Did you get that?" Maka asked, stopping her lecture.

The weapon smiled at her, putting her pen down. "Yes, Ms. Albarn," she said respectfully.

"Good," Maka chuckled, flipping open the book.

A knock on the door turned the attention of both weapon and meister to the doorway. "May I come in?" Kid asked, standing in the exact center of the doorway. He wore black slacks and a white button up tie, all neatly ironed, with his skull tie hanging loosely around his neck. He looked a little tired, but his eyes brightened when he saw Maka smile at him.

"Sure," Maka said, gesturing for him to come over to the desk.

The shinigami crossed the distance quickly, folding his arms across his chest. "Angel, I think you and Ms. Albarn have covered all the information you can for today. Why don't you go check on your partner? I believe I saw Shadow looking at the mission board just a few minutes ago," Kid said, moving out of the weapon's path and taking her seat as she left the room with a blush and a wave goodbye.

Maka arched an eyebrow at Kid as he leaned back in his chair. "What was that all about, Kid?" she asked sweetly, pushing _The Index of Souls _to the side of her desk.

The Death god pulled his right leg up on his knee, resting his hands on them neatly. "I wanted to talk to you alone."

"What about?" Maka asked quickly.

She hoped it was about what had happened a few nights prior at the party. She had a lot of questions on what they should be doing about Ariel and the witches now that they were out for blood. Her blood, specifically.

"I meant what I said," Kid said firmly, his eyes boring into hers.

"What did you say?" the meister asked, her voice filled with confusion.

He leaned forward, putting his arms on her desk. "That I would protect you from Ariel and the witches," he said seriously.

Maka tried to laugh off the seriousness of his tone. "Don't worry about me, Kid, I've taken down witches before. Just tell me and Soul where to go and we'll take them all out," she said cheerfully.

While Kid usually found her confidence and enthusiasm endearing, at the moment he found her lack of self preservation incredibly concerning. "Not this time, Maka, Ariel is not like those other witches. She's one of the oldest witches, and she's in an ancient alliance that makes her almost impossible to kill," he spat out bitterly. An alliance he intended to destroy if he had his way.

"Kid, I get that you're worried, but I can handle myself. I'm not a child!" Maka said forcefully. "I am a perfectly capable meister, if I can take down Asura, then I can do this too." She crossed her arms across her chest defiantly, a slight pout on her face.

Kid let out a sigh of frustration, running a hand through his raven hair. His eyes flashed dangerously in Maka's direction and he stood up to his full height, energy exuding his frame as he paced the room. He turned away from her for a moment, putting his back to her. "There are things you don't understand, Maka, things that I just can't tell you," he said with frustration.

The blonde meister stood up, crossing to Kid and putting her hand on his shoulder. "What things? We've never kept secrets before. If you meant what you said the other night, then you have to tell me," she said forcefully, turning him to look at her.

"It's not that easy. Once I bring you into that world, there's no getting out. There are dark things at work, Maka," he said softly, his hand reaching to grasp hers as he saw her emerald eyes fill with concern. "Things that I do not want to bring you into. Things that you need to stay out of, for your own safety."

"I never came into this career for safety, Kid," Maka replied, squeezing his hand reassuringly. "I spend every day risking my life for the safety of others. I would risk it for you too," she said, her eyes searching his for some kind of answer.

Golden eyes met emerald ones in a heated stare. She always had the ability to match him, point for point, no matter how different they were. "It's not something that I can just tell you," he said with exasperation in his voice.

Maka waved her gloved hands at him, pulling them from his soft grip. "I'm not afraid, Kid. I'm not afraid of death, and I'm not afraid of you," she said, taking a step towards him.

"I can't do this to you, Maka. No mortal should know of the realms of death, the darkness of hell, and the only way I could show you is to take you there," he responded.

"Then take me there," she challenged.

The Shinigami's liquid gold eyes flashed darkly. Before him stood two options. On the one hand, she was begging to be let into his world, a world he denied her entrance to for what he considered her own good, despite how much he wanted her there. He could finally take something he had been denying himself for so long, and he would only be doing exactly what she asked for.

But there was another side. Once she knew of the dark place, there was no going back. Light and dark, the balance of sunlight and shadow, would never hold the same meaning to her. Her innocence to the demons beneath the void would be shattered and he did not want to do that to her. Gaining access to his world would grant her happiness, but it would most likely be fleeting. Eventually, the shadows would consume, taking all that beautiful light away.

And so that left option two; Denying her what she asked for. This was incredibly hard for the shinigami, but he knew it was the better choice. No matter how angry she would be with him for awhile, it would be nothing compared to the rage and betrayal she would likely feel at losing her innocence. It was against his nature to deny her anything. He would give her the moon if she asked for it, but he could not give her this.

"No," he responded firmly, hands shooting out to grasp her wrists.

She thrashed slight in his grip, but Kid did not let her go, tightening his grip. "Let me go!" she shouted at him. "You have no right to deny me this," she hissed at him, her body shaking in anger.

Faster than any possible human speed, he moved her frame and crushing her hands between them as he wound one arm around her waist, the other on the back of her shoulders. He held her tightly to him as her anger slowly receded and she stopped shaking.

"You do not know of what you ask," he whispered into her neck. "It is impossible for me to deny you what you want," he said softly, causing Maka's emerald orbs to widen in shock. "But I cannot give you what you seek. It would not be fair to you. Please, do not ask for this again. I will do all I can to protect you," he said as his voice choked slightly and his hand slid down her spine, "but I will not do that. I will not take your freedom."

Kid pulled back from her slightly, placing his hands on her cheeks, his fingers dragging on her neck. "Do you understand?" he asked softly, his eyes staring intently into hers.

Slowly, she nodded, her gaze never leaving his.

A sigh of relief could be heard from Kid as he saw her nod in agreement. She may not trust his reasoning yet, but she did trust him. And that was a start.

Her thin frame collapsed into his and he held her tightly as she nuzzled herself deeper into his chest. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he whispered over and over. He hated doing this and he hated what it meant for him. He was denying himself the one thing he truly wanted, but he would do it for her benefit. Even if she couldn't see it yet, she had to know that it was all for her.

**A/N**

***"****Imperium meum , o filius mortis est. Flecte ad voluntatem meam in perpetuum", which means "Submit to my power, O child of death. Bend to my will forevermore."**

**Responses:  
ZoeyAngel: I remember that about Inuyasha too, and I thought it was super cute! I hadn't really thought about the Eruka and Free thing, but I totally see it now!  
QuantamTheory: Thank you! It's been a lot of work to keep the consistencies in their relationships, but I hope I've been doing it justice.  
FrancyKid: I just want you to know that I looked at your favorite stories (I hope that's not creepy!) and I'm no COMPLETELY hooked on The Strings that Bind Us. You are an angel for putting my story with a work of that caliber!  
DeathEzio: Don't you worry, there are plenty of Kid flares in this story, as he can be rather emotional (And sexy as hell when he does it, no pun intended) and protective of Maka. I love getting to read your reviews, they always make my heart happy!**

**-Wri**


	7. Chapter 7 - The First Step

Maka placed her spoon back in the bowl of her minestrone, careful to keep the metal from clinking against the bowl. She kept her head down, her eyes glued to the spoon in the bowl. "Kid, can I ask you something?" she asked suddenly in a burst of courage.

The two had been enjoying lunch together every day for the past week, sitting in his office without intrusion. Maka would tell him about her class and about soul perception and Kid would offer insight and laugh at what she said. They both smiled more in that time together that they did in an entire day before they started eating together.

As Kid looked up, he frowned when he saw that her eyes would not meet his. He pushed his club sandwich away from him and reached for a napkin to wipe his hands with. "Anything, Maka. But I wish you would look at me when you asked."

She looked up at him, a slight blush across her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "Forget I said anything."

"No, ask me. I'm sure you have a reason," he said gently, trying to coax her out of the shell she had retreated into.

Maka muttered under her breath before sighing. "It's just," she began, "you never talk about your mother," she said quietly, looking up to gage his reaction.

The shinigami stared at her blankly. "My mother?"

"Yeah, you know, the woman who raised you, the one who carries half your genetics?"

Kid stared at her for another moment before laughing, wrapping his arms around his ribcage. "I don't have a mother, per se, I suppose you mean Lisolette," he offered after his outburst ended.

"Lisolette?" Maka asked dumbfoundedly. Maka had always assumed that Kid had a mother just like everyone else.

He nodded. "Lisolette was my nurse, more or less. She practically raised me until I was 8 or so and my father decided to oversee my education," he answered earnestly. He began to reach for his food again, assuming the matter closed, when Maka stopped him.

"Why didn't you have a mother?" she asked softly. She carried the memory of her own mother very near to her heart and she was surprised that Kid didn't have that same kind of background.

If the shocked look on his face was any indication, Kid was not expecting her to ask that. He quickly wiped the expression from his face and answered honestly. "It's not exactly common knowledge," he began, "so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you don't know. I was created from my father, a piece of his soul, actually. Shinigami can either reproduce in the mortal sense, or they can use a part of their soul to create their offspring. The second choice is a bit riskier," he added quickly, "but it's what my father decided on." Kid looked off toward the window, a far away look in his eyes.

"Lisolette was like a mom to me though. She was the one that taught me latin, saying that I should know it since it is a "dead" language and all," he said with a snort. "She liked to paint and she filled the house with her artwork, saying that it brightened the whole place with color." His voice had a wistful quality as he remembered the woman who raised him.

"What happened to her?" Maka asked. She was honestly afraid to ask, but she wanted to know.

Kid looked down at his food, as if hoping to find the answer there. "She died a few years ago," he answered hoarsely. "I wanted to save her, but cancer is something that happens and my father told me I had to let her go."

Maka reached across the table to take his hand, running her thumb across the ridges of his knuckles. Kid looked up, sending a grateful smile her way. "You would have liked her," he said after a moment. "You remind me of her, spreading light in even the darkest of places," he whispered, putting his other hand over hers.

Eventually the two pulled apart, both suddenly engrossed in their food.

After a few bites, Maka raised the question that had been on her mind. "How did your father know her?" she asked as she finished off her minestrone.

"I'm not really sure. But I know they were close. She told me once that sometimes she imagined that I was her child, the one she would have had with my father if he ever settled down," he trailed off. "I think she loved him," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "But for whatever reason he never made her immortal."

Kid snapped his mouth shut when he realized what he had just blurted out.

Maka stared at him in shock. "You can do that?" she asked incredulously. Kid nodded painfully, closing his eyes as he mentally berated himself.

Maybe if he didn't say anything, she'd just let it go.

"How?"

_Apparently not._

He folded his hands on his desk neatly. "I'm not really at liberty to say, but there are certain steps that can be taken to make a mortal immortal," he answered briskly. "And that is all I'm going to say on the matter."

"Party pooper," Maka grumbled good-naturedly, causing him to chuckle softly.

"We should probably talk about Vera and the witches," he said suddenly.

"You told me not to go after them, I'm not going to pick a fight," Maka answered.

"I know," Kid replied, "But we do have to take a course of action if they choose to do something."

Maka smiled at his statement. "I'm not worried, we'll figure it out when the time comes. I trust you," she said simply, her emerald eyes shining.

Suddenly, the room felt suffocating to Kid. He wanted to run away because when she looked at him like that, he couldn't hold back. When those emerald irises locked with his he wanted to give in. He had been playing a dangerous game lately, letting her get closer, promising himself that he would never take it too far. He wouldn't let himself slip up if it meant hurting her, because that's exactly what it would mean.

But she was so damn enticing, and he could tell that she wanted it too. That only made it worse.

The way her body leaned closer to his when they spoke, hanging on to every word. There were smiles that she gave only to him, secretive smiles that not even Soul, her closest friend, saw. She came to his office for lunch dutifully every day, even if it meant missing out on other opportunities with her friends.

They both danced around the issue of their obvious attraction, never confronting it directly. They were flirting with disaster, but only Kid truly knew it.

"Can we trust Vera?" Maka's voice called, tearing Kid from his thoughts.

It took him a moment to understand the question, but he eventually nodded. "While I dislike Vera personally, she is one of the witches I trust more than most. Kim assures me of her loyalty. She's not one to break a treaty for the sake of Ariel's vengeance," he assured Maka.

Maka hummed in agreement. "I just hope she doesn't find out that it was me."

Kid didn't answer, knowing that his feelings on the subject were implied.

They finished their lunch in silence, both consumed by their own thoughts. Maka eventually returned to her class as the bell rang, allowing Kid to finally relax. It's not that Maka wasn't a soothing presence to Kid, but he had recently found that being around her made his stomach knot and his mind anxious, feelings that he wanted to avoid. If anything, it was from the conflicting feelings he had over his attraction to her.

He turned to the mirror, a hum from it pulling him from his thoughts.

"Lord Death, greetings. I have - "

"Don't call me that," Kid growled as the mirror's reflection changed. "Lord Death was my father. Call me Kid, sister Clarity."

Sister Clarity looked taken aback, but she did not apologize. Her warm, topaz eyes showed obvious concern for the boy she had watched grow, and her silver hair hung around her thin face, the bulk of which was held back by a dark veil. "Must you hide behind that still?" she asked in a chiding tone. "I understand your reluctance," she held up a hand when he began to argue, "but like it or not, you are the Lord of Death now, and you need to take your place."

Kid hung his head in shame at her words. Sister Clarity always had that effect on him, ever since she saved him from the other shinigami, sort of taking the role of older sister in his life. Liz and Patty tried to do the same to him, but their antics left something to be desired.

"You had something to tell me?" he asked as he sank into his seat again.

Clarity nodded. "Sorrow and Regret have managed to bring Denial to their side, and while I think I can sway her back, I am not certain about this. Their power rises with every year that you don't take your place in The Far Shore, milord. You can't wait forever," she spoke seriously.

She had been wringing her hands when she spoke, the obvious strain of the situation written in her body language. "They're reaching out to the witches, Kid, you can't keep ignoring the gravity of the situation. Pretty soon, they'll start taking souls into their own hands, ignoring _Fate. _completely.

Kid looked at her sadly. He knew the stress that was on her at the moment as one of the few shinigami still loyal to him. She and a handful of others oversaw most of the soul reapings, following the direction of Fate, a system that was meant to be, and had been followed by every Death god.

Thwarting Fate was a risky move indeed. It could mean altering the lives of so many people, risking tearing the fabric of order that held the universe together. Fate could be manipulated slightly by a Lord of Death, but a simple shinigami could not begin to understand the complexities behind each action and reaction. Kid himself could barely see them.

"I can't go back there yet," he spoke through gritted teeth. "I'm not strong enough to face them yet."

"You will be for her."

The look of surprise of Kid's face made Clarity chuckle. "Did you think I didn't check in on you from The Far Shore?" she shot back with a twinkle in her eye.

Kid gulped visibly, his hands reaching automatically to straighten his tie, something he did as a nervous habit. "The situation is . . . complicated."

Clarity laughed at that. She had a rich laugh, one that was full of warmth and promise, something uncommon to see in a death god. "You and I both know who she is, Kid, and what she means. The question is, what are you going to do about it? How much longer are you going to wait?"

"I'm not taking her into that pit of darkness," Kid said evenly, his face a mask of perfect calm. Only those that knew him best could tell that he was trying very hard to control his temper.

Clarity's reflection shifted slightly and she frowned at him. "Have you ever considered what she wants, Kid?" she spoke softly.

Kid's mouth went dry as he tried to think of a response. "Well, why would she want to be trapped under the same responsibilities I am? I'm chained to this life until I die, there's nothing I can do to change that!" he cried.

"Maybe that's why she would do it."

A moment passed with neither backing down from their position. Finally, Clarity sighed, pushing her hand against the mirror.

"She's not safe in the mortal world much longer. The shinigami know who she is and they'll use the witches to kill her to hurt and weaken you," she spoke into the mirror. "Think about that before you make any decisions for her, Kiddo," her voice drifting away. Her image dissipated and Kid was left standing in front of a blank mirror, his emotions scattered about the room.

He knew she was right; Clarity was always right.

If the shinigami knew who she was, the power she could possess, then he would have to take action to protect her. The time to wait and the time for weakness and indecision was drawing to an end. He would have to act.

Hopefully Maka would be okay with that.

00000000

Maka smiled when she opened the door for the Thompson sisters. They crossed the doorway with loud cheers and giggles, throwing their arms around the blonde meister.

"We've missed you so much!" Liz gushed while Patty pulled on Maka's blouse. "You're not wearing that, are you?" Liz questioned, eyeing the simple grey blouse questioningly.

Maka blushed at the attention. "I don't really know what to wear to a club," she stammered as Patty and Liz grinned mischievously.

"We can fix that!" they hollered as the put their arms around Maka and dragged her into her bedroom, kicking and screaming the entire way.

Just a few minutes later the opened the door and pushed the meister out, letting her stumble to the couch to regain her balance.

They put her in a red tube dress, the tightness of the fabric exposing her curves. The dress was sleeveless and the entire back was lace, allowing the pallor of her skin to peek out. Her feet were shoved into silver kitten heels that sparkled in the light and her hair was arranged in loose curls, even distributed on either side of her shoulder.

Liz tossed a black leather jacket at Maka as she grabbed her car keys. "Ready, Kitten?" she teased as Maka grinned back, her new outfit bringing out a sense of confidence.

"As I'll ever be."

As the door slammed shut behind them, Soul let out the breath he'd been holding. "Girls are weird," he muttered as he flipped on a basketball game to watch for the evening. He put his phone by him in case Maka or one of the girls needed him to come pick them up or if anything happened.

He shuddered when he thought of the poor bastard that would try to make a move on any one of those girls unprompted. They'd certainly give his ass hell, the thought making him grin.

Meanwhile, the girls entered the club that had just opened downtown. It was called Verdant,* and it was filled with strobe lights and and lot's of people. There was a large metal staircase that led to a second floor where a the dj was, the bar sitting comfortably beneath the staircase.

They made their way over to the bar, sliding down on the barstools that were open, sending a wave to the bartender. They quickly ordered their drinks and began scanning the room for an opening to dance in.

Maka visibly tensed when she saw a pair of wolf ears in the crowd just as Liz and Patty wandered to a spot to dance, leaving Maka alone at the bar.

As Vera slid onto the stool next to Maka, she looked around warily, her eyes betraying her discomfort. "You can't stay here, green eyes," Vera muttered under her breath after ordering a scotch from the bartender.

The blonde meister didn't make eye contact with her, instead staring into her cosmopolitan. "My friends and I are perfectly capable of protecting ourselves from any thugs in a club," she sneered back at her.

Vera rolled her eyes at Maka before replying. "No, I mean you can't stay in the mortal world much longer. They're closing in on you," she hissed, taking a sip from her drink, the smooth scotch sliding down her throat, eliciting a gasp from the witch.

Maka turned to her in disbelief. "What do you mean? Did you tell them about me?" she growled at the dark haired witch.

The wolf girl shook her head quickly, leaning back on her seat. "No, that bitch had me followed," she grumbled. "Regardless," she continued, "You need to have that shinigami boyfriend of yours figure something out, because they know where you are. It's just a matter of time before they find you," she said, glancing around the room again for any other witches.

The scythemeister turned her soul perception on, finding that she could not locate a witch besides Vera in the near vicinity. "Thank you for the warning," she said to Vera evenly, pushing her glass away from her and standing up from her seat. "But I -"

"Don't say you don't need my help, Princess," Vera purred, chugging down the rest of her glass. "Because you do. Now get out of here."

"No," Maka said evenly, walking away from Vera, despite the witch's protests.

The blonde found herself in the center of the dance floor. She needed to release, to not feel the pressures of her job and the future. Some time to live without constantly worrying about the witches or about all her responsibilities. She shut her eyes, allowing her body to sway to the beat of the music, swinging her hips from side to side. Her body relaxed and she began to lose herself in the music. She could feel the heat from the bodies around her and she let the feeling drown her.

Suddenly, she felt a shift in the air around her, her perception flashing in her mind. Various souls shifted, revealing their true nature to her.

She was surrounded, the witches had found her.

She could feel three just a few feet away from her, and another two by the door.

_Dammit, Dammit, Dammit, _she hissed in her mind. She tried not to let it show that she knew of their presences and she began searching the room for Vera, but the wolf witch was nowhere to be found.

Her mind began working on ways to escape, knowing very well that she wouldn't be able to fight her way out of this one. She didn't have Soul, and she had didn't have any resonance link with Liz or Patty, so she couldn't fight with them.

This is not how she wanted it to end. If those witches got a hold of her, they were going to kill her, and she would be powerless to stop them.

She took deep breaths, trying to relax her body and think of a solution, but nothing came.

Suddenly, she felt a warm presence on her back. Her body tensed, her mind unable to process what was happening.

"Don't be afraid," a soft voice whispered, an arm snaking it's way around her body, wrapping her frame tightly to it's chest.

She stood completely still, her emerald eyes wide in surprise. Somehow, he always managed to find her when she needed him.

"Do you trust me?" his voice whispered in her ear huskily. "You're surrounded, something you probably already know, by Ariel's witches. But before I can help you, I need to know that you trust me," he pleaded.

Slowly, she nodded, her senses filled with him. It was hard to breathe when he was so close, his very presence intoxicating her, making it hard to think.

But no matter the condition she might be in, she would always trust him. He was there when she needed him, always dependable, alway honest with her. Yes, she trusted him with her entire soul.

And suddenly, the world went dark and she knew she was no longer in the club anymore.

She had gone into the darkness.

***For those of you that caught it, the club is named Verdant, after Thea and Oliver's club in Arrow, an exceptional show about the Green Arrow, which I highly recommend.**

**Responses:  
QuantamTheory: Thank you, I was super proud of how I began the last chapter! It was something I hadn't done before, but it seemed to introduce the events well.  
CrimsonLia: Welcome to the story and thank you! I hope chapter 7 was as rewarding as chapter 6 :)  
ZoeyAngel: I think I've made it my personal go to see how emotional I can make you with each chapter. Hope this one had you screaming like a fangirl!  
FrancyKid: Awww thanks! And don't worry, there is a kiss in the near future!  
MusingReaper: Thank you, I hope you continue to enjoy the story!  
DeathEzio: I am very honored by your reviews! I've actually never seen DeathNote, but I've heard good things :) I'm glad you find this darker version of Kid as hot as I do!**

**-Wri**


	8. Chapter 8 - Letting Go

**A/N: Here it is, the much awaited surprise! I'm saving all the responses until the end of the chapter, hope that's okay with you guys :) Also, it might be the last update for awhile since I've been really busy and I've had some eye problems that have made it hard to sit at my computer for long periods of time. Sorry for any inconvenience!**

There was a whoosh of energy, a magical current surrounding Maka. The breeze played with her hair as it transported her. She could see nothing except occasional flickers of violet lights, golden streaks within them. If it hadn't been for the hand wrapped around her waist, she probably would have shrieked in fear.

Instead, she clung tightly to Kid, digging her hands tightly into the folds of his shirt. She shut her eyes, allowing herself to simply feel the transition.

They stopped suddenly and Maka lurched forward, her eyes still shut. Kid tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her against him to steady her. "Sorry, I should've warned you about that," he offered with a chuckle.

Maka smiled gratefully at him, leaning into him as the world stopped spinning.

Her eyes adjusted the dim lights slowly, noticing the flickering of candles in the distance. "Where are we?" she asked suddenly, her hand reaching for Kid's.

He caught her hand and clasped it gently. "The Far Shore," he replied, tugging her along.

They were not in a cave as she thought at first, but a large castle with grey stone walls. Lights were spread around, but the high ceilings practically swallowed all the light, making the hallways seem dark and allowing shadows to flicker around every corner.

The feeling that the shadows gave her was not one of fear, but more of apprehension with a tinge of excitement. Behind those shadows was a world of possibility and potential, uncertainty hiding behind the lack of lights. It was exhilarating, and it was something she had never felt before.

"Does anyone live here?" she asked as they continued walking.

Kid nodded as he led her through the corridors. "There are certain spirits that I allow to stay in this area, as well as the other shinigami," he muttered darkly.

"Other shinigami?" she questioned at his tone.

"It's . . . complicated. Some of them are incredibly loyal to me and help me gather souls and keep order," he said as he led her through the corridor.

"And the others?"

He stopped and turned back to her, looking her in the eyes. "Do you remember when I told you that there are forces you don't understand?" after she nodded he continued. "There are other shinigami that are a bit more . . . rebellious," he said as he continued walking.

"They're working with those witches, aren't they?" Maka asked quietly. She tugged on her hair nervously as she asked. She was afraid of what his answer might be. She felt her heart drop and she shivered when he nodded and his jaw tightened. His grip on her hand tightened protectively as well as the blonde meister watched the shadows flickered around her.

They stopped walking as they approached a heavy wooden door.

Maka bunched the fabric of her dress, stopping when she realized that the fabric was not the same as the one she was wearing in the club. It felt feather light and cool against her skin, the white grecian style tunic stark against her pale skin. She turned to Kid questioningly who chuckled when he met her gaze.

"Don't be alarmed, it's just how my world sees you," he said with a dangerous smirk. She looked like the personification of light, her blonde hair framing her face angelically as the dress practically fluttered around her.

He wasn't lying when he told her that. Maka realized when she looked at him that he was no longer wearing his trademark suit, but a set of cloaks that billowed around him with an ominous effect.

The realm of death was a peculiar place. People's appearances were personified; Maka as a creature of light and innocence, and Kid, brooding and dark, the ruler of the dead.

Maka nodded at Kid, letting her body relax again. So what if her dress was different? This one was far more comfortable anyways.

Kid reached for the silver knob, turning it and pushing open the door to reveal a large bedroom with a victorian style bed and dark purple furnishings. He gestured for her to enter, which she did, leaving him to follow behind her.

"What is this room?" she asked as she inspected the room for hints.

"It's yours," he replied back evenly, leaning against the doorframe to watch her.

She looked back at him in surprise, her emerald eyes clouded in confusion. "Mine? Why?"

The shinigami heaved a sigh before crossing the room to be closer to her. Being even across the space was too far for him at the moment. "Since you'll be staying here, the underworld decided to create you a room, you should feel honored. It normally isn't that welcoming," he said with a smirk.

"You say that like it's a living thing," Maka retorted, scrunching her nose. She had stopped in front of a large mirror, gilded in a silver frame. She brushed her fingers across the smooth filigree, tracing the dips and curves of it.

Kid followed her, noticing her rapt attention on the mirror. "I guess you could call it that."

After a blank look from Maka, Kid decided to elaborate. "It's a part of me, actually," he said, clearing his throat. "It's connected to my life, and my will, because Hell is my domain. Everything here is under my jurisdiction," he explained.

"Everything?" she asked with a teasing tone.

"Just about," he mused darkly.

Maka crossed to a large window and pulled the curtains back. She gasped when she saw the view before her. She was met by a lake of silver that sat below the castle that had dozens of spirit animals drinking from it as they played lazily. The skyline was a dark blue, but there were no stars in the sky because it was more of an illusion than anything else. There were mountains that brushed against the skyline with heavy clouds of vapor hanging around them.

"It's beautiful," she said softly.

"I'm glad you think so. Most people find it very dark," he said thickly, reaching out to clasp her hand. He ran his thumb across the ridges of her knuckle, the gesture soothing his inner turmoil at bringing her here.

He had feared that she would hate this place, despise the absence of light and the mystery of it. Instead, she seemed in awe of it, practically revelling in the unknown. She was now a part of his world in the most intimate sense. Not even Liz and Patty had been brought to The Far Shore before.

It was a world that was entirely his, though he rarely visited it because of his obligations in The Near Shore.

Maka turned to Kid, her eyes emerald eyes shining. She reached out to him, putting her arm around his neck. "Thank you for bringing me here," she said into his neck.

Kid's heart began to thump wildly and he slid an arm around her waist, hugging her to him gently.

"I can't imagine Liz and Patty would ever want to leave this place," Maka said with a snicker.

"I wouldn't know, I've never brought them here."

The scythemeister pulled back in shock. "What? Why not?"

"You're the only person I've ever brought here, Maka," he said with his eyes downcast. He began to worry that he had upset her somehow, but he couldn't figure out how he had done it. Perhaps she was afraid?

To his surprise, Maka blushed slightly as she unwound herself from him. "I bet they would like it here," she offered as she tugged on her blonde hair nervously.

The Shinigami shook his head. "I doubt it, it takes a very special kind of person to appreciate the beauty in this place. I'm surprised that you do, actually."

"Why wouldn't I?" Maka asked. "I mean, I am pretty special and all, but this place is amazing."

Kid sighed and looked away. "It's just, it's your opposite. In some cultures, the word for your soul, grigori, means angel. I have to say, the idea isn't far off. You are the epitome of light, Maka, and I'm just worried that . . ."

"Worried about what?" she said as she took a step closer to him. She could see the discomfort and fear in his face, an expression that she rarely saw.

"That this place will steal that away from you. I don't want to see your life destroyed here, Maka. I couldn't bear that," he said intensely. "You're too important," he whispered, brushing his hand along her cheek. "You shouldn't stay here."

Maka closed her eyes and leaned into the caress, her body trembling. She put her arms around his neck and her head on his chest. "I'm not going anywhere. This is where I belong. Right here, with you," she said contentedly.

Kid felt a warmth come over his body. He had agonized over this decision, yet here she was, begging him to let her stay. She was practically demanding a place in his world, and he had to admit that he wanted to give it to her. Maka fit so comfortably in his embrace, like she was meant to fill that space.

_Stop thinking, _he chided himself. _Just let go._

He cupped his hand around her chin, tilting it upward. Her eyes searched into his lazily and he smiled. He leaned forward, allowing his lips to meet hers softly.

t was feather light and soft, the feeling drowning his mind. As he began to pull back she leaned in hungrily, capturing his lips with her own.

He growled softly at her actions, as he pushed her against the wall. He put an arm on either side of her, trapping her, making sure that she couldn't escape. He felt her grin into the kiss

"I don't care," he said in between kisses, "If it's selfish of me. I want you here," he stopped, placing a kiss on her neck. "With me."

Maka moaned softly, running her hand through his hair. She couldn't think, she could just feel. She had wanted this for so long. From the moment she met him, from the moment they first resonated, she just knew. She could feel their resonance link meeting, a static sound buzzing in her ears as it intensified before the link snapped together tightly.

There was a feeling of euphoria, in being connected by both body and soul. She kissed him soundly again, her teeth biting his lip. He ran his hand down her side, pulling her closer to him as it wove around her waist. _Closer, just a little closer. _

_More, I need more, _Maka thought. She was drowning in this feeling and she needed something to keep her afloat. Her limbs were flooded with warmth and her skin was flushed. She could hear Kid breathing heavily in her ear and it just made it even harder to think.

She reached forward, tugging on the material in an effort to remove it. There was too much between them, keeping them apart from each other.

Kid pulled back with a slight chuckle, his golden eyes soft. She squirmed breathlessly under his gaze. "Not yet, be patient, love," he breathed out, planting a chaste kiss on her forehead. "We have all the time in the world," he said huskily. It took all his effort to maintain control, especially when she looked at him like that, with her eyes clouded over. He reached for her again when a sound stopped him in his tracks.

"AHEM!" a voice called from the doorway.

Kid swore under his breath before turning quickly. "Sister Clarity," he said when he saw the grey shroud in his doorway. "How good to see you. What can I do for you?" he asked. He straightened his cloak slightly and ran a hand through his tousled hair in hopes of regaining some decorum and symmetry.

"Sir, something's happened. The shinigami have refused to take anymore souls. Trust and Worry are doing the best they can, but with so few helping them, there are souls left on the surface. They'll be stuck in limbo forever is we can't get to them." Clarity clasped her hands tightly in front of her, worry evident in her face.

Kid didn't answer for a moment, giving himself time to think. He leaned against the bedpost, his hair casting shadows on his face.

"Alright," he said, looking up. "Then it's far past time I show Sorrow just who the hell he's messing with," he said firmly. He held out his hand to Maka, who took it gladly. She laced her fingers in with his, clasping them tightly.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, with the mark -" Clarity began, but a glare from Kid silenced her.

"I'm not letting him control me, I don't give a damn about any mark. Brand or not, I am the Lord of Death, and they will not defy me any longer," he spat out as he turned back to Maka.

His voice softened when he spoke to her. "Maka, it isn't fair that I dragged you into this -"

"Don't you dare try to stop me from helping you, Kid. You saved me by bring me here," she said defiantly. "So don't even try. Whatever it is that you have to face, we're facing it together."

Kid grinned widely at the statement. He felt a rush of male pride in having found such a loyal

"partner.

Alright, then let's go kick some shinigami ass."

**Responses:  
****QuantamTheory: Thank you! It's been hard, but I'm glad it's working out  
****ZoeyAngel: I'm sure you loved this chapter since it had what you wanted most :)  
****Guest: Thanks! I'm happy to deliver  
****FrancyKid: Go ahead, Jump for Joy!**

**-Wri**


	9. Chapter 9 - History

_When the goddess Lyte created mortals to fill the world she created, she watched them constantly. They were here creation and she loved them dearly. Lyte's love was dazzling and blinding, just like the sunlight she had created when stared at for too long. Her love was so strong that it left room for few other feelings, and she lived happily with this full and consuming affection._

_But eventually, she grew lonely. From her loneliness and her love, she created a daughter. Her daughter, just like her mother, was an embodiment of light. She had silver hair that shined like the moon and golden eyes that mirrored the sun. She watched the mortals closely and created plants and animals to keep them company and fill their world with beauty. Lyte found great joy in her daughter and was no longer alone in her world._

_As Lyte watched her mortals age, she noticed infirmities and illness that slowly overcame them, making them unable to truly live any longer._

_And so, she created Death._

_Lyte create Death to bring mortals relief from their bodies and let their souls rest and find peace. She smiled on Death, making him her closest friend and ally. Together, they worked to find a balance in mortals lives, keeping a line between highlights and shadows. _

_Eventually, Death created a son whom he called Hades, grooming him to take his place and assist him in keeping balance and order._

_She kissed his hand softly and murmured her agreement and created The Natural Order that followed the direction of the domain and will of Death automatically, needing only slight guidance to function fully. _

_But eventually, Lyte's greatest creation, began to grow tired. Unlike Lyte's immortality, Death's was life was limited. Though he lived much longer than her mortals, he would not live forever._

_When his life came near the end, she knelt by his bedside, their hands held tightly together. He begged her to grant his last wish and make sure the mortals would always have a death to greet them when their time came._

_As his father's life finally came to an end, his son Hades crossed to his father and cradled his soul, whispering the words that would release him. He put a hand on Lyte's shoulder, comforting her in her time of grief._

_She smiled at him gratefully, happy to know that she was entrusting her mortals with a compassionate man. _

_What she didn't know was how lonely The Far Shore really was. The place that her Death had lived in and run so smoothly and without complaint, was suffocating for the new Death. He craved living affection and attention, something that he could not get from anything in his world._

_When he told Lyte of his problem, she told him to create a set of servants. They were essentially living beings, but would be bound to him. When he asked her how he would bind them to him, she had one of her angels bring a skull shaped brand to her_.

"_When you create one, use this brand. The one who brands will be bound to those they use it upon and they will be forced to do their will. There are few things that can stand in the way of such a contract," she told him, her golden eyes somber. "Love might be the only thing strong enough to break such a thing," she said quietly. _

_As she continued to discuss the details with Hades, her daughter entered the room, intrigued by her mother's visitor. When Lyte saw her daughter, she beckoned her to come closer and greet her guest. _

_Hades and Persephone had practically grown up together, but their meetings had been few and far between since Hades had taken over for the underworld._

_Neither of them could deny the attraction they held for each other. He thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, with an unmatched sense of grace and compassion, while she was drawn to the mystery and depth of his character. There was a strength in his darkness, a resilient force that gave itself entirely to others._

_They didn't let their feelings show, for fear of what Lyte would do. Lyte would not let her beloved daughter be taken from her, especially into a place so far from her._

_And so the lovers met in secret. At first their meetings were casual, they spoke of trivial matters, keeping their distance from each other. No matter how much Hades wanted to hold Persephone, he was afraid to cross that line and hurt her. He knew that if Persephone went to the Underworld, it would become her life._

_Until finally, he could bear it no more. At midnight, Persephone's golden eyes met Hades' silver ones and he kissed her and pulled her into the underworld. To mortals, it looked like a kidnapping of the beautiful light goddess, but this was not so. She welcomed it with open arms, allowing herself to bask in a feeling she had never felt before. While light could be loving, it was a blinding kind of love. But this kind of love, it was gentle and sincere. It caressed her lovingly, making this world her new home._

_When word of Persephone's whereabouts came to Lyte, she flew in a flurry to the Underworld. All the appreciation she felt for him was gone and she screamed her rage at Hades who sat quietly, his silver eyes flashing, holding Persephone close to him and refusing to be parted from her._

_Finally, it was Persephone who spoke against her mother. "I know you fear for me, you fear that I will wilt away in this place. But you're wrong," she said adamantly, standing firm against her mother. "I'm thriving here. I belong here, with him. I love the world out there, but I love the world in here too." _

_And so, Persephone and Lyte came to a compromise. For half the year, she would be with her mother, enjoying the mortal world that she had cultivated. For the other half, she would be with her silver eyed lover, bringing peace to mortals that she loved. Neither were pleased with the agreement, but it was the only way that Persephone could keep her loved ones from falling apart._

_But unlike Persephone, Hades would not live forever. He had not been granted lasting immortality, and like his father before him, his time was coming to an end._

_The shinigami that he had created gather around him. The Lord of Death had named each one as a phase of death, a set of emotions that each must come to terms with when they pass on. He had created 5 in his life; Sorrow, Pain, Regret, Clarity, and Peace. They were his close companions and confidants, and they did their jobs well. The shinigami were meant to help mortals experience and accept death. They were his loyal subjects who assisted in taking souls when it was their time. _

_Persephone brought their golden eyed children to see Hades as he lay upon his deathbed. He smiled at each one individually, planting a soft kiss on his daughter's cheek. _

_He turned to his wife who was smiling through the tears. She never regretted joining him in in the underworld, but she wished she didn't have to bear it without him. Persephone fell to the floor, the goddess' body wracked with sobs._

"_Please don't leave me here alone," she whispered, her hand holding his cheek. "Please take me with you." The Death God smiled at her gently, but shook his head. _

_As his soul disappeared and one of the shinigami reached forward to take it, Persephone sobbed silently until his body disintegrated, leaving behind only memories for his wife and children. _

_When Persephone stopped grieving, she went to see Lyte. She begged Lyte to let her die, to remove her immortality and join her mate in the afterlife, but Lyte refused. Heartbroken, she returned to her shinigami and the underworld to be with her children. _

_She pulled her oldest son aside and made him a promise that was bound with a mother's blessing. She told him that as long as he and his descendants had the golden eyes of Persephone, they would be drawn to light and find a mate worthy of them, and they would never be parted from them. That there would always be a piece of Heaven in every Hell._

_Because as darkness was drawn to light, so was light drawn to darkness. Both were necessary for the survival of the other._

_If one lived, so would the other. If one died, so would the other. Thus so was their bond._

_She sealed this promise with a kiss on her son's forehead and then went to meet the shinigami. When she met with Regret and Sorrow, they refused to reap her soul, saying that her life was meant to continue as an immortal being. _

_In her time of greatest need, she turned to Peace. _

_Peace was the last shinigami that Hades had created. Peace had a thin and fragile body, as peace so often does, but a steadfast heart and a wisdom beyond her years. When Persephone approached her, she smiled at the goddess gently and took her hand within her own delicate one. With her other hand, she touched Persephone's chest and gently pulled the pure white soul from her body. "Plus Dormiant Somnum sempiternum, et pacem in aeternum," she whispered, allowing the soul to disappear. _

_Peace could've sworn that she saw Persephone smile at her before her body faded to ash._

_Lyte felt the passing of her daughter and she cried in agony. She went to the underworld to take her daughter's soul back, but was stopped by the new mantle of Death and his shinigami. Clarity stood by the new Death's side, protecting him fiercely while Peace watched quietly. The Death Lord told Lyte that once a soul had been given up willingly, there was no returning it. _

_He tried to reason with Lyte, telling her that Persephone had found peace on the other side and was reunited with her mate. But Lyte could not see past her own pain._

_Just as Lyte's love was blinding, so was her pain and anger. There was no longer room for anything else in her heart, so she cursed the children of her daughter. Because she blamed the shinigami for taking her daughter's soul as well, she decided she knew exactly how to punish them._

_Those shinigami that were created by Hades would never be loyal to the rest of his descendants for time and all eternity. Though they would continue to take souls, they would isolate their lord and master. The only thing that could gain their loyalty was the brand, a mark of their oath to him._

_And so, as each Lord of Death has lived, they have each created shinigami to help them, despite the personal risk. There are no records of Lyte after the curse, as she retreated into the heavens with her angels, allowing Death to run her world alone._

Maka looked up from the ancient text in the library in shock. _Does that mean that Clarity is just waiting to betray him? _she asked herself.

But then she thought back to Lyte's earlier words. "_Love might be the only thing strong enough to break such a thing." _But who could Clarity love so much as to break such a bond?

The blonde meister squeaked in surprise as she jumped up from the sofa. She had assumed that she was alone in the old library and she hadn't heard anyone come in. Maka placed the book on a cushion as she turned to face the person who had entered.

The schythemeister blushed when she saw Kid standing behind the back of the sofa, his arms crossed evenly across his chest. He leaned over to see the cover of the book and smirked when he saw it.

"Of all the books you could have chosen, _that's _the one you choose for some light reading?" he said with a smirk.

"Maka-Chop!" Maka shouted indignantly, sending the thick tome crashing down on his skull playfully. "I needed to learn some things, there's a lot I don't know," she said with a slight pout.

Kid laughed at the comment and rubbed his head slightly. "I see why Soul is always complaining about those, they hurt! And what do you mean something you don't know? I thought you knew everything," he teased as he walked around the couch to stand beside her.

"Maybe one or two things," she conceded with a smile.

"Anything I might be able to . . . instruct you in?" he asked, stepping closer to her so they were practically touching.

"And here I thought you were the perfect gentleman!"

He responded by putting his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him. "What could I have done to give you that impression?" Kid asked innocently, sliding his hands along the small of her back.

"Yeah, okay, easy lover-boy, we have things to do, remember?"

_"_I remember . . ."

"Hey! Kid that spot is sensitive!"

"I know. That's why I touched it."

"I think you're in for a long night."

"I hope you mean that in a good way."

**A/N: Sorry about the word vomit of history right there. I tried to keep it interesting and not just drop it all on you but I got really tired of Maka having to ask Kid all these questions just so I could get information out there. I figured Maka's the kind of girl that would go find it out for herself! :) Anyway, I hope I made up for it with the cute moment at the end and that the story I created was enjoyable. I just really wanted to make sure we were all on the same page in this universe! Also, no, I won't be writing any lemons. Sorry to disappoint, but trust me, you wouldn't want to read them. They'd be pretty damn awkward.**

**Sidenote: There are currently 39 followers, but most of my reviews come from the same 6 people (You guys are the real MVP's!). I would really love to hear from everyone (or at least almost everyone) so that this story can be as amazing as we all want it to be. Even if it's just one review in the entire story, it would make my day to hear from you guys more!**

**Responses:  
QuantamTheory: I can't believe I made you squee with this chapter!  
DeathEzio: Yeah, I was totally waiting for your last review! Now your perfect review attendance is lost! NOOOOOO  
DeathTheKat: The world could always use more KiMa :)  
Mowen1225: Welcome aboard and thanks darlin'!  
FrancyKid: Yeah, totally wish I could go there too, not gonna lie!  
Guest: Don't worry, next chapter is exactly what you're looking for!**

**-Wri**


	10. Chapter 10 - Lonely No More

Vera hissed as the smoke settled around her, making her eyes burn.

"_You've betrayed us!" _the voices screamed at her. She couldn't see their faces, but the wolf witch knew who it was.

Ariel and the other witches had cornered her in a dark alley as she was leaving the bar after helping Maka escape.

"I didn't," Vera growled back. "You've betrayed the treaty we made, and the other witches as well!" She threw the words back at the others, crouching in a defensive position, her eyes flashing as she tried to pinpoint the location of the other witches.

"_She killed one of our own." _Ariel's voice rang through the smoke as the raven witch emerged, her dark hair spilling out behind her. "So will you protect this mortal girl, or will you stand by your sisters?" she asked threateningly.

"I know where my loyalties lie," Vera sneered back at her. "I'm not helping you hurt her."

Ariel smiled sinisterly and looked to her left. Her eyes flickered back to Vera who tensed visibly at the gesture.

"Take her soul," Ariel said as she turned over her shoulder and headed towards the street.

The smoke began to clear and Vera's eyes focused in on a shifting shape in a grey cloak that was slowly making it's way towards her.

"Gladly," it whispered.

And then everything went black.

00000000

"What do you mean she's _gone?" _Soul shouted at the Thompson sisters as he paced across the living room in the Gallows Manor.

His feet thudded as he crossed back and forth angrily. Liz had called him as soon as Maka had disappeared from the club.

"Look, all we saw Kid come up to her, and then she disappeared!" Liz said back to him in a bored voice. She held her hand against her face as she lounged on the couch. "I assume he sensed all of those witches and took her somewhere safe."

"I'm sure she's fine, Kidd wouldn't let anything hurt her," Patty said cheerily. Neither girls had bothered to change yet, but Patty kicked off her heels, sending them flying across the room. They heels hit the wall next to Soul and he glared at them menacingly.

Soul stopped and turned to Liz. "She's with Kid?"

Liz yawned and leaned her head against the cushion of the sofa. "Yeah, he grabbed her and left, so I'm sure they're fine," she said sleepily.

Soul nodded as he ran a hand through his white hair. "Is there, uh, anyway I could reach her?"

He shifted nervously from one foot to another when he asked.

It's wasn't that he was jealous of Kid for having Maka's attention, not at all. But Maka and Soul had been partners for such a long time that they were practically ingrained in each other's genes. That's how weapons and meisters should be.

Soul trusted Maka with every intimate detail of his life, and she trusted Soul with all of hers.

There were things they knew about each other that nobody should ever know about someone else. It's pretty hard to keep secrets when your souls are constantly resonating in battle.

But he still felt a slight tug on his heart when he knew she was with Kid. It wasn't a jealousy over romantic feelings. No, it was envy over losing his place in her life.

Soul was always the one Maka turned to when something was wrong, but something was wrong and Maka was yet to turn to him. She turned to the Shinigami in her time of need instead of her weapon. His meister was in danger and she didn't even tell him.

What would become of them now?

Would she toss him aside now that she had someone else to protect her? His head hurt and his mind was reeling. Who was he without his meister, his best friend?

Liz stared at him with wide eyes, trying to read his thoughts. "Probably with a mirror, we could reach them." She stood up and crossed to him, reaching out to touch his arm. "Are you okay?" the demon pistol asked quietly.

Soul cleared his throat as he nodded at her, relieved to have the comfort of her touch. "Yeah," he said shakily. "I'm just worried about her. We never go this long without communicating," he said warily.

He found himself suddenly tackled in a fierce hug by Liz. The Death Scythe would have toppled over had Liz not had such a secure grasp on him.

Soul put his arms around her awkwardly, a slight blush creeping across his face. "Hey now, you don't have to do that," he stammered.

"I know, I want to."

"Yeah, Sis likes to hug people when they get sad!" Patty laughed when she saw them hugging. She knew how much her sister liked Soul and she wanted to help her. "Well," Patty said with a shrug as she stood up from the couch, "I should probably go to bed now. Nighty night guys," she called as she skipped off to her bedroom.

Liz watched her sister go and chuckled, still wrapped in Soul's embrace. "Don't mind her, she's crazy."

"Yeah, I'm pretty aware," Soul said with a smirk. He let Liz out of his hold and went to sit on the couch, gesturing for Liz to join him. Liz did so with a smile, snuggling right next to him.

"We'll call her in the morning," Liz said finally. "I'm sure Kid already has a plan worked up on how to deal with the witches that are after Maka." Her voice was firm and authoritative, and she stretched warily on the couch.

Soul nodded, his mind distant.

He couldn't help how worried he was. If anything happened to Maka, he'd blame himself, even if it wasn't his fault. She was so reckless that if someone didn't watch her constantly, she would do something insane and get herself killed. It didn't matter how strong or intelligent she was, the scythemeister was too headstrong for her own good.

Before either of them knew it, Liz and Soul fell asleep, finding comfort and peace in the other's embrace.

00000000

"Maka! Why haven't you called Daddy yet?" Spirit wailed as he faced the mirror.

"Because I wanted to avoid this conversation," Maka deadpanned at her father's words. She sighed before sending a slight smile in her father's direction. "I'm alright, papa, I promise. I'm somewhere safe, Kid made sure of that."

Spirit's eyes widened and turned bloodshot and he clutched his side. "You're w-with Kid?!" he sputtered out. "Why didn't you come to me if you were in trouble? Maka, you know Daddy loves you more than that stupid morbid Kid!"

"Ahem," Kid said, appearing behind Maka. He put his hand on one of Maka's shoulders, pushing one of her pigtails over her shoulder. "You're still one of my weapon's, Death Scythe," he said cooly.

"Yeah, yeah, I remember," Spirit muttered as he sweat dropped from seeing Kid appear suddenly. "So," he said, turning serious. "Why is she with you, Kid?" he asked, turning his attention to the shinigami.

"There is a league of witches after Maka right now, and they surrounded her in a club. I had to use shadow magic to get her to a safe location," Kid said, assuring Spirit through the mirror.

Spirit nodded as he leaned against a wall on the other side. "So where is this "safe location"?" he asked, looking directly at Maka.

The blonde meister stared back at her father evenly. "Does it matter, Papa? I'm safe, just leave it alone."

"But when are you coming home, baby?" Spirit whined. "When will I get to see you? You know, if your mother was here she would be so upset about you being in an unknown place by yourself with a boy!" he said, reaching a point of hysterics.

"Mama's not coming back, let it go."

"How can you be so cruel to your dear old dad?!" Spirit said, pulling his hair out.

Maka sighed as she brushed her hand against the silver of the mirror's frame, trying to figure out how to soothe her Dad's many worries.

After another moment of Spirit's wails, Kid finally grew frustrated and slammed his fist against the mirror. "Enough, Death Scythe. We have more important things to do than listen to your melodramatics!" Kid said menacingly, his golden eyes flashing.

Spirit sniffled slightly and then nodded slowly. "If it's a league of witches, why don't you just have them put on the list and then send some weapons and meisters after them?" Spirit asked after he stopped hyperventilating.

The shinigami shook his head. "It's not that simple. I believe the witches are being aided by a force that I do not want any DWMA students going anywhere near. They are my problem, and I will deal with them," he said firmly, cracking his knuckles.

"And how do you plan on protecting Maka from this problem?" Spirit asked archly.

Kid started to speak when Maka cut him off abruptly, seething with rage.

"I do not," she spat out, "need to be _protected." _Maka began to storm out of the room, stopping as she reached the door. "I am a three star meister with a weapon gene. Don't treat me like a damn child," she called over her shoulder as she slammed the door behind her.

Spirit and Kid were left staring at the door in shock. "I blame you for that," Spirit said, looking at Kid.

The shinigami sighed and rubbed his temples in irritation. "I blame me too," Kid muttered.

"So what's this other threat. Is it the shinigami?" The Death Scythe asked quietly, his eyes downcast.

Kid's head whipped around the face Spirit with a snap. "How do you know about them?" he snarled.

Spirit held up both hands as if to offer peace. "Your dad let me in on a lot of secrets. I was there when he went to get you from those bastards," he muttered darkly. "You can't let her near them."

"I don't know if I have much of a choice, Spirit. She wants to help, and I don't know if I can face them without her," he offered quietly. His body seemed to collapse in on itself as he worried over what to do.

"She's not a fighting weapon, Kid, she's going to get hurt, and I won't let you get my little girl killed," the Death scythe said adamantly.

Kid ran a hand through his dark hair as he took in a shaky breath. "So what do you suppose I do? Tell her 'Sorry, but you can sit this one out'? Maka and I don't keep secrets from each other!"

"You're that close, aren't you?"

He saw Spirit's face harden for a moment, frustration covering his features. The Death Scythe took a deep breath and then exhaled. Kid felt his throat close when he saw a defeated look replace the previous one. It was a look of resignation, of surrender.

"I knew the day would come, Kid, and I guess it could be worse. It could _Black Star, _or that Hiro fool. At least I know I can trust you to do the right thing," Spirit choked out.

Spirit eyed Kid for a moment. "I can trust you to do the right thing, can't I?" he questioned.

Could he? _Can he really, _Kid thought. _He's right, she can't help me face them. They'll just use her to hurt me, and she'll get hurt in the process. But can I face them alone? _

He thought about all the times Maka had stood by him. When she had assured him of her faith in him, of his humanity, allowing him to connect his Sanzu lines. He thought of how much she trusted him in allowing him to shadow travel her to a place where she was cut off from all familiarity.

He couldn't let her down.

"Yes, yes you can."

For the first time in a long time, Spirit grinned at Kid with complete sincerity.

"Good."

00000000

"How many times do I have to apologize?" Kid complained as he sat down next to Maka on the porch swing.

"I'm not mad at you," she replied, her voice completely flat. She continue to read her book, curled up against the arm of the swing.

Kid tugged on her book slightly, trying to pull her attention away from the text. "Then why won't you look at me, sweet?" he asked.

Maka pushed him off and sent him a glare, wrenching the book from his hand. "Because I'm trying to read you dumbass," she snarled at him.

The shinigami sighed before scooting closer to her on the swing. "I was hoping you weren't going to make this difficult, but I guess we're going to have to do this the hard way," he teased as he put an arm around her waist. Maka sent him a questioning look and then shrieked as he grabbed her side, tickling at the base of her ribcage.

"What are you- Hey, stop that!" she shouted in between fits of giggles.

Kid didn't move his arms, and instead continued his ministrations while she writhed against the swing, kicking her feet out at odd angles. "Not until you talk to me," he challenged.

"Okay. OKAY FINE," Maka shouted and Kid finally released her from his grip. She took several deep breaths, trying to figure out how her lungs were supposed to work again. After a moment, she leaned back against the swing, pulling a pigtail over her shoulder.

"It's just, I don't want to be left out of this. I meant it when I said I wasn't going anywhere, Kid," she said, her emerald eyes softening. "You've been alone in the dark for so long, isolating yourself. Let me help you, let me . . ."

"Let you what?" he asked as he stared at her intently.

She swallowed thickly. "Let me love you," she said quietly.

There. She had said it. The words she had been thinking since he let her see the recesses of his soul. She had seen what lay beneath the somber exterior, and she loved him. Ever little bit of neuroticism and insecurity. Because it was real, not like the facades she had seen others put up. Kid didn't hide things except to ease the burdens of others. He was real, and he was hers. Just like she was his.

There was no going back now, she knew she belonged to him. Ever fiber of her being, every pound of flesh, belonged to the boy sitting next to her.

And she was okay with that.

_But what if he isn't? _her insecurities whispered.

_Then I find a way to survive. I can survive without him, but I'll be _living _with him. For the first time, I feel truly alive, and I guess I have to take that risk. I'm the brave one, aren't I? _Maka thought to herself.

"Maka?" Kid asked tentatively, his golden eyes boring into hers.

"It's okay if you don't love me," she said looking away. "I get it, I really do, I just thought -"

She was silenced as he slammed his face into hers, crushing their lips together. Maka relaxed as she felt an arm slide around her waist and pull her closer to his chest.

After a moment, they pulled apart, resting their foreheads together. "Don't ever think that I don't love you, Maka. I love you more than I have loved anything else in this world. You are the best part of me, and don't think that I will ever let you go," he whispered.

Maka smiled, allowing his words to sink in. He loved her, he really loved her.

No more loneliness, no more isolation. There would be no more aching pangs as they both yearned for affection and acceptance.

They had each other, the angel and the reaper; the grigori and the shinigami; Maka and Kid.

And it was time for a new story to begin. One that brought love into the most painful situations, a story that could be told to new generations.

A story of a love that could break the curse.

The pair stayed up through the night and Kid told her the story of his branding, showing her the mark on the inside of his wrist. The meister had noticed it before but didn't ask for fear of bringing up painful memories.

She touched the scar tentatively, allowing her fingers to glide over the burned flesh. Her soothing wavelength calmed the uneasiness in his soul, allowing her acceptance of every part of him to be felt.

They fell asleep on the porch swing after Kid went to grab a blanket for them. She put her head on his chest as he leaned against the back of the swing. It was the perfect way for Maka to hear the gentle thud of his heartbeat as it lulled her to sleep.

She felt a slight shift of positions in her sleep but she didn't rouse, simply adjusting as she felt the blanket being wrapped around her body better.

When she woke a few hours later, she was alone and Kid was nowhere in sight.

**A/N: Whoo! Okay, another chapter out! Chapter 10 is looking good. This story is almost over, I'm thinking between 3 and 5 more, but the number could fluctuate. **

**Also, I just found out this story was put in a community, which made me feel like a celebrity of the KiMa world. Gotta love FFNet!**

**Responses:  
QuantamTheory: S/O to you for being the first review AND the first one to catch my doc errors! You rock and I adore you :)  
FluffyiceSprite: I believe this is the first time I've heard from you, so WELCOME! I'm sure you could write great stories! It just takes practice! My first stories are absolute crap, but I'm glad to have them because it paved the way for stories like this one :)  
DeathEzio: Totally fangirled a bit when I saw you put me as one of your favorite authors *le dramatic tear*Oh the honor! I'm glad someone else is as uncomfortable with lemon as I am. I like to suggest adult themes because this is an adult situation, but I really don't want the details because what they hell do I know about that stuff?  
NickyRockit: So good to hear from you and I'm honored by your review!  
MowenMaximus: Same, I'm literally typing thinking "When do I get to the really good part I was thinking about in math yesterday?" Yes, I think about my fics during school because Statistics can be as boring as hell.  
ZoeyAngel: Okay now I'm wondering about this honey vomit nonsense and I'm mildly concerned, but not concerned enough to not enjoy your wonderful review!  
Carrotlime: I'll try my best!  
NiniHearts: AWWWW thanks! It's one of my favorites that I've ever written, and it's been so well received!**

**-Wri**


	11. Chapter 11 - A Curse to Every Blessing

Emptiness. Isolation.

The kind that oppresses you and forces you to second guess everything that's led you to this moment in time. The fear of losing something, or someone, important, and the fear of them losing you.

Not knowing if they will ever return to you, not knowing if you will ever feel their touch. Could the last embrace really be the last one? Could there really be a world without kisses and caresses, soothing words and endless affection?

That's the kind of pain that comes from waking up alone.

For a moment, you try to justify, to make excuses. You tell yourself that you know they'll come back, your mind knows this, but your heart is afraid. Afraid of losing something so precious and wonderful that it has only just found.

And so you stop making excuses and start letting reality sink in. You are alone, and you don't know what you did, or why it happened to make it that way.

It is the sort of emotion that makes it hard to breathe. Thoughts come in quick, flurried, incomplete fragments, and blood pounds in your veins. Everything is empty.

This feeling can come alone or in a crowd. It just depends on who is missing.

And Kid was nowhere to be found.

Maka knew, even from the first moment she awoke, that this was not an accident. Call it intuition, call it love, call if whatever, but it was the same gut wrenching feeling no matter whatever label was slapped on it.

He had intentionally gone without her, to leave her behind. She knew why, but that didn't alleviate the pain that had her heart ripping in two. He was "protecting" her, or so he called it.

But she knew better. He was just protecting himself from losing her. From having to face the mirror every morning, knowing that he had failed her in every possible way. She knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't be able to live with that.

It was still selfish anyway, and she was the one that faced the ache for it.

Fortunately, Maka was never the kind of girl to sit and feel sorry for herself.

So, she did something she did very well, something she had always succeeded in.

She went after what she wanted.

It didn't take long for Maka to find a mirror in the large stone castle. As soon as she did, her fingers began tracing the name of her partner on the fogged glass, hoping that her plan would work. The blonde took shallow frantic breaths as she waited impatiently.

She exhaled in relief as the call was placed and the image began to distort as it searched for her weapon. Before she knew it, she was greeted by the sight of her partner staring anxiously at the glass.

"Maka? Is that you?" he asked, putting his palm against the glass.

She nodded, her eyes ready to spill over in tears. "Yeah Soul, it's me," she sighed.

Soul ran a hand through his white hair, pulling the headband off with it. "Thank Death, I was so worried. You didn't call, Liz didn't know where you were, I couldn't -"

"Look," she said, interrupting his harried lecture, "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but we don't have time right now. I need your help," Maka said, her emerald eyes pleading with him. "Please."

Crimson eyes met emerald ones as he slowly nodded, all the worry leaving his body. "Where are you?"

"The Far Shore."

The DeathScythe swore under his breath and he clenched his fists. "What the hell, Maka? Why?"

"We don't have time for this right now Soul, I just need you to get here. I promise I'll tell you later," she said, her frustration returning.

"Okay, how do I get there?" he asked.

Maka thought for a minute before answering. "Ever heard of shadow traveling?"

"Yeah, doesn't Kid do that?"

The Scythemeister nodded with a sly look, ideas running through her head.

"I can't do that, Maka, I'm not a shinigami," he whined at her.

"I know, but I think you can get here through the mirror in Kid's office. Just go there and see what happens," she suggested. Soul nodded and the image began to dissipate when Maka had another thought.

"Bring Liz and Patty with you!" she called after him. Maka could've sworn she heard an annoyed "yeah, yeah, crazy woman and her damn shadow travel," which made her smile for the first time since she had awoken.

Even when the world was falling apart, she could still depend on Soul to be a little pissy with her.

00000000

"Go to the Death Room, she says. Look at the creepy-ass mirror, she says. It'll be fun, she says," Soul muttered bitterly to himself as he poked around the shinigami's office. As he stood in front of the desk, flipping the meticulously organized paper, he heard a low whistle behind him.

Whirling around, his eyes fell on the mirror. Nothing could have prepared him for the sight that greeted him, though.

"Lord Death?" the demon scythe asked, his voice full of confusion.

"Hiya, wassup?" the late Lord Death called with a wave of his white hand.

"How can you- but you're -"

But Soul was silenced when the image of Lord Death began speak again. "I know what you're thinking, how is this possible? The answer is simple; I've recorded a series of videos, if you will," he said with a shrug, "that can be played at the discretion of this mirror."

Soul stood in absolute shock, his mouth still hanging wide open. He couldn't even find the words to speak, so he simply stood in silence.

"The next question is probably 'how can a mirror have discretion? It's a mirror!'" Death asked jovially. "Good question. Now, this mirror," he said in a hushed tone, "has a part of my SOUL sealed to it! That's right, a little piece of me that can make decisions based on what I decided to record during my life. Good thinking on my part, eh?" he paused, as though waiting for a responses.

The Death Scythe gulped and then began to laugh. The absurdity of the situation was overwhelming. Even when Maka was in danger and Kid was in charge of the underworld, Lord Death was still keeping secrets and pulling the strings behind the scenes. How that old man had managed to stay one step ahead of everyone had always surprised Soul, but he had to hand it to him, he was one hell of a planner.

"Anyway," Lord Death continued, "this recording is about shadow travel to the underworld. Shadow traveling," he explained, "is a little shinigami trick. A handful of witches and other beings can use it to, but only shinigami can use it to get to the underworld. However," Death explained with a quirk of his eyes, "this little mirror works like a master transporter for a shinigami. And since it has a part of my soul, it follows my discretion and will use my power as a shinigami."

"Wow, even when you're dead, you still talk a lot," Soul said as he chuckled, approaching the mirror slowly.

"All you have to do is touch the mirror and it will take you to the one corresponding in The Far Shore. I'm guessing you're going to help Maka, so then Liz and Patty should get a similar message when they get here," Lord Death said nonchalantly. As though he hadn't just orchestrated a mass chain of events that were absolutely crucial to the safety of many people in the DWMA.

"And Soul?" Death said as an afterthought, "Do try to keep my son and his mate alive."

With a flash, the image of the mirror cleared and Soul touched the surface of it, his hand sliding through the glass like water. It spread around him and slowly, he pushed his body further through the mirror until he felt a pulling sensation and he stepped through the looking glass.

It was overwhelming and almost oppressive. The place simply felt, for lack of a better word, . . . dead. He could only see around him vaguely, dark grey stone walls being his guides. Small sconces scattered around the room provided scant light, allowing him to pace up and down the hallway in search of his meister.

"Maka? Maka, where are you?" He called, cupping his hand around his mouth to amplify the sound. His steps became more harried with each moment he couldn't find the blonde.

Suddenly, he felt a weight crash into him and two slim arms encircle his waist. Soul stumbled back a few steps before he relaxed into her grip, putting his arms around her.

"Missed me that much?" he teased after she pulled away.

Maka grinned back at him. "I always miss you," she said, punching him the arm affectionately. "Where are Liz and Patty?" she asked, concern edging on her usually calm tone.

The Death Scythe put his hand on the back of his neck, sending a sheepish smile her way. "They should be here soon, I sent them the text before I got here."

"How did you end up getting here?" Maka asked.

Soul shook his head as he remembered his experience in the Death Room. "Lord Death sure did prepare for everything," he said with a chuckle.

A loud crash that came from the mirror at the end of the hall had Maka and Soul sprinting towards it in anticipation.

"Patty, get your ass off me!" Liz shrieked while her sister giggled as they sat sprawled across the stone floor across from the mirror.

"Sorry Sis," Patty sang as she untangled herself from her sister's limbs.

Soul raised an eyebrow as he held his hand out to help Liz up. "Lord Death?"

Liz's eyes flashed menacingly and she flipped her hair over her shoulder in irritation. "If he wasn't already dead, I would be so pissed," she seethed.

"You didn't like the feeling of shadow travel?" Patty asked her sister in hushed tones. "Why not?"

"Because," she replied briskly, "I am human, and not meant to for that sort of thing. I prefer to travel by car, or private jet if possible," the older sister hummed as she brushed off her clothes. Turning her attention to Maka, she rushed forward, crushing her friend in an embrace and knocking her off balance. "We were so worried about you, kid, why didn't you call?" Liz fussed. She ran her hands up and down the scythemeister, looking for any signs of injury. "Are you hurt? Did Kid do anything he shouldn't have?" Liz asked as she cracked her knuckles.

Maka visibly blushed. "Now is r-really not the time, Liz," she stammered back at her.

The Demon Pistol glanced over her again and the huffed a sigh. "You're right. So where are we going?" she asked.

Maka grinned visibly, sticking her arm out to Soul, causing him to transform. "To stop Kid from doing something very, very stupid."

Patty giggled at Maka's statement. "Kid? Doing something stupid?" she cackled madly until she transformed into her weapon for, a stream of light until she landed in her sister's outstretched hand. "That I gotta see!"

"Me too," Liz answered. "So, where to?" she asked as she turned her attention back to Maka. "It's not like we have a map of the underworld or any sort of tour guide."

The scythemeister nodded, knowing that the next part would be difficult. "I was thinking that we could look for one of the spirits that I've seen around here. Surely they'll know where he is," Maka stated. It wasn't like she had a better idea, and the other members of her team weren't any better off. They were all still so new to this world and they had limited understandings of what lay within the dark realm.

"Or you could follow me."

Maka whirled around to face the voice that came from behind one of the shadows around the corner. "Sister Clarity," she hissed, seeing the familiar topaz eyes and somber grey robes.

Clarity held up a hand at Maka's tone, warning for her not to continue. "I know you do not trust me, and I respect your reasoning. You have read the legend of Lyte and are well aware of the curse," she stated plainly, causing Maka's jaw to clench. "However, if you'll remember, love is strong enough to break any curse."

"And I'm supposed to believe that you love Kid enough to not betray him?" Maka sneered back at the shinigami.

Clarity did not flinch at the accusation, but instead raised her chin defiantly. "No, because it was never Kid that I loved," she replied proudly.

Maka stepped back in shock and Liz looked at her in confusion. "What is she talking about?" she asked, but the scythemeister ignored her friend's question.

"You forget how old I am, Persephone, how many Death Lord's I have seen," Clarity said with an expression akin to regret.

"Persephone?" Soul asked from his weapon form, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead.

The shinigami smiled, clasping her hands in front of her. "You remember Persephone's promise to her children, don't you?" she asked, causing Maka to nod numbly. "That they would always seek out light, as long as they held their mother's golden eyes."

Maka's grip on Soul's form slackened and her pose loosened. Slowly, the pieces came together.

"It was his son," the blonde said softly. "That was who you loved. That's why the curse didn't affect you, because you loved him." Maka could feel the heartbreak that came from this shinigami that had lived her whole life in want of something she could never have, that love becoming her driving force.

"Yes," Clarity responded weakly, her hands dropping to her sides. "But as you know, shinigami are not creatures of light," she said bitterly. "The real curse for me, was in Persephone's blessing." Tears began to spill over in the shinigami's eyes and her voice cracked as she spoke. "I never once turned against him, because I couldn't. I loved him, and because I loved him, I love his children. And their children, and so on, down even to your friend."

The anguish bubbled over and Maka felt her body move of it's own accord as she threw her arms around the heart broken woman.

"I have lived for so long, watching the happiness of others. Watching each shinigami find love, revelling in this feeling that I could never share." A quiet sob wracked the shinigami's body and Maka wrapped her arms around her tighter as they fell to the stone floor.

Maka hushed and soothed her, letting her cry into her shoulder in between muffled words. "He never even knew, he never knew that I loved him," Clarity wailed as she balled her hands into fists. "And I can never undo that." She wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her cloak and stood up slowly with Maka's assistance.

"Love's a funny thing," she said slowly, looking Maka in the eyes. The shinigami straightened, regaining her composure as she continued. "Even when we're hurt, we still love, because we can't imagine going without it. Even the pain that goes with it," she murmured, "it's better than not loving at all."

The scythemeister smiled at Clarity, her eyes brimming with tears. "I'm sure he knew how much you loved him, and how much you still do."

Clarity chuckled softly, her eyes regaining their warmth and fire. "But that's not what matters right now. What matters," she emphasized, "is getting to Kid free from what has haunted him his entire life."

Maka turned to her friends and partners. "I couldn't agree more. Are we ready to go?" she asked, turning to Soul.

"Yeah, Maka, we're behind you all the way. Go save his dead ass just so you can kick it again," he teased, transforming back and flying into her outstretched hand.

"Alright, Clarity, where to?"

**A/N: So I've been imagining the scene with Clarity for like, four chapters, and I want to give her the sickest backstory. I love her as a character and if you guys are up for it, I can put more of her in the final chapters. I have what I think is a beautiful idea for her :)**

**Okay, so thanks for the reviews, they've been wonderful!**

**Also, I know that some of you are concerned about my updates, since for awhile I was posting twice a week. I promise to always do at least one, but two is really hard during this time of the year since I have a lot of AP testing this next two weeks, as well as graduation and awards ceremonies. Don't worry, you're not being abandoned :)**

**Responses:  
QuantamTheory: Thank you! Ack I'm always worried about screwing up characters, especially Soul. I didn't want to make Soul a jealous person because no matter what, Soul loves his meister and I really wanted to show that it could be in more than one way. Your reviews always rock and they happen so FREAKING PROMPTLY WHAT IS THIS WITCHCRAFT  
Zoeyangel: Hahaha, I don't know if I'd say I'm an expert, and as I am currently writing chapter 12 that HAS a fight scene, it's way harder than I thought it would be. I like writing emotion and dialogue, action is hard as hell!  
FrancyKid: Is it weird that I just want to hug you after reading your reviews? Because I do! You're so sweet!  
DeathEzio: HELL YES I WILL READ IT! Also, another shameless plug that I love Heroes of Madness and I check my alerts almost every day for it (Yes, that was a guilt trip) I feel like I'm not giving Soul enough presence in my story, so I'm trying to bring him in more since he is a pretty awesome character.  
Kat girl: Don't worry, here's your update!**

**-Wri**


	12. Chapter 12 - Brothers and Sisters

**TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE WEEK! I deserve an award or something . . .**

Kid stood in the caverns that haunted him since his childhood. He had never really imagined returning and facing the shinigami who had bound him, as if hoping that if he ignored it, then it wouldn't be true.

With every step he took, he could hear his heart pound in his ears and his body tense in anticipation. He barely dared to breathe, because if he exhaled too loudly, they would hear him. Of course, they probably knew exactly where he was since their soul perception was just as strong as his, and their souls were bound tightly.

The idea made him think of Maka and how tightly their destinies were intertwined. Kid felt a sudden rush of guilt when he imagined how she would feel, waking up alone in his home, without any idea of where he was.

"Oh yes, I'm sure she's very worried," a sinister voice hissed behind his ear.

Kid didn't move but every muscle in his body tightened, ready to pounce. "Ah," he acknowledged, his gaze trained straight ahead of him, "It's good to see you too, Sorrow. But you shouldn't sneak up on people, it's rather rude," he stated coldly.

Sorrow took a step closer and Kid could feel his breath on his neck which made Kid screw up his face in disgust. "It's even more rude to keep someone waiting for so long, little shinigami, especially since we're practically family," Sorrow crooned at Kid.

Kid turned sharply, jamming his shoulder into Sorrow's face and grabbing his wrist with his right hand, twisting it in his grasp. "We are not," Kid spat, "family. Under any circumstance."

The other shinigami didn't make any noise, but his pale yellow eyes flashed dangerously as he surveyed the young Death God.

Sorrow was not afraid of Kid, but he had underestimated his abilities. He expected the child to be sniveling in fear, a mere shadow of what his father was. And yet, here he was, challenging him openly and defiantly, in spite of the bond they held.

A smirk settled over his face as he saw the approach of his brothers in the flickering shadows. "If you valued the life of your lover, you'll unhand me immediately," Sorrow rasped.

"If you touch a hair on Maka's head, I'll kill you."

"Then perhaps not the hair," Sorrow offered cruelly, despite the compromising position he seemed to be in. "But there are other ways to inflict a substantial amount of pain."

As soon as Kid noticed the approach of the other shinigami, he unhanded Sorrow, allow the older shinigami to settle back into his spot as his brothers approached him.

Kid surveyed his surroundings, his eyes settling on the shinigami in front of him. "This ends now," he said coldly as he flexed his fingers.

"Oh I do agree, dear one," Sorrow said with a hoarse chuckle, signaling for the other shinigami to laugh as well. Their joyless guffaws sounded inhuman to Kid as they reverberated along the walls of the cavern. "But how, do you plan on forcing me to relinquish my control over you?" Sorrow asked with a glimmer in his eyes. The grey hood had been pushed back in their previous scuffle, allowing Kid to see his sparse grey hair.

Unlike Clarity and her ageless beauty and grace, the shinigami that stood before him were practically decaying from the inside, their bodies consumed with hatred for the order that created them.

"By Killing you if I have to," Kid said evenly. He could not let them see any emotion, because they would recognize that weakness. "While you are immortal to infirments, you are not immune to injury," Kid said as he raised his hand, allowing a stream a smoke to come from the ground around them.

The brothers merely chuckled as they noticed the magic. "Reaper magic?" Sorrow scoffed at the skull insignia that flashed from Kid's hand. "You are a child, and I will not bend to your will. You will bend to mine. _Ego Dominus et magister et audieritis me!*" _Sorrow screeched as skeletons began to emerge from the wall.

Kid's mind began to cloud in confusion, but he held strong. _Keep summoning the spirits loyal to you, _he chanted in his mind. _He has no power over you. Screw the scar, you are your own person, Kid._

The skeletons and dark spirits were beginning to surround the shinigami, and Regret and Pain looked around fearfully at them. Though they were slow moving at first, the more time they spent out, the faster they became and they were now only a few feet from the shinigami.

Sorrow looked completely unphased. _"Cessare sententiam huic stultitiae , supprimere vocacio,"*2 _Sorrow whispered, his yellow eyes never leaving Kid's_._

_Why are you fighting your master? _a voice in Kid's head asked softly. The Death God could give no answer, as his vision began to cloud. He couldn't remember why he was there or why he was summoning. The Scar on his wrist burned, causing him to cry out in pain.

_You are stronger than this! You are stronger than him! _Kid screamed in his mind. But there were no memories any more, just an unbearable pain. A loss, a feeling of emptiness, and a burning sensation.

"That's right, dear one, those who disobey their masters are punished," Sorrow rasped.

Kid fell to the ground on his knees, his body unable to comprehend the pain. He quit summoning and his vision swam. Kid began gasping for air, his mind whirling, unable to answer the questions floating around. "Why?" he choked out.

"I had to," Sorrow said, taking a step closer to him and kneeling down in front of the boy. "You were trying to hurt us, your family." The other shinigami nodded in agreement.

The summoned looked around quizzically, until they slowly dissipated with a wave of Kid's hand. "f-family?" he asked hesitantly. Sorrow nodded at him, a small smile plastered on his face.

Kid couldn't remember anything beyond the last few moments. Fleeting images of emerald eyes and ash blonde hair were the only things he could remember or picture, but the images were confusing. He gasped as the pain came to a stop and his body finally relaxed a bit.

_Why am I fighting my family? _Kid asked himself. _They have done nothing but look out for me. I owe them so much. _Slowly, Kid stood up, pulling Sorrow up with him. "Forgive me," he begged Sorrow, "I do not know what came over me."

"It's quite alright, Dear one, you are not perfect like we are," Sorrow said haughtily, gesturing for Kid to continue down the cavern. "Now, let's get you to your room so you can rest."

"LIKE HELL YOU WILL."

"Ah, Miss Albarn, how good to see you. I was expecting you to come a little later," Sorrow mused as he turned to face the mortal girl.

She stood tall, a red and black scythe clutched easily in her grip. Behind her stood Clarity, her amber eyes flashing, and the demon pistol sisters, both fuming at Kid.

"I'm not letting you take Kid anywhere," she spat out at the shinigami. Pain and Regret both took a step closer to Sorrow as they noticed the anger in her eyes.

Kid stood completely still, complete confusion on his face. He knew those eyes. . .

Sorrow noticed the look on Kid's face and hissed in anger. "_Derelinquamus eam , et auferemini ab hac maleficus*3_," he seethed at Kid, his fists clenching in anger. "She is nothing to you, we are your family."

Kid didn't make a move in either direction. He simply stood there, his golden eyes bouncing between the emerald eyed girl and the shingami before him. There was a throbbing in his head and his scar burned faintly, but the pain was manageable. He wanted to remember, to understand, but it was as though there was a wall blocking his memories. _I know her, I must, think harder! _Kid pleaded with himself.

But he couldn't. No memory was forthcoming and Kid felt his mind slipping further and further from reality as an overwhelming feeling of loss enveloped him.

"Kid! Snap out of it!" Maka shouted as she stared at the vacant look on his face, her grip tightening on Soul.

Her gaze drifted to Sorrow, whose pale eyes glared back at her emptily. "Just keep trying Miss Albarn. I'm sure it'll work eventually," he intoned as he put his hand on Kid's shoulder, causing Maka to shudder.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Regret approach her, a silver dagger in his hand, aimed at her ribs.

She sidestepped, jamming the head of her scythe into Regret's neck. "Don't you dare touch me," Maka growled, holding the blade edge precariously close to his skin.

"Maka, what do you want me to do? Can I shoot the bastards?" Liz asked as she stood next to her, shakily clutching Patty's weapon form in her hands.

"You can try little girl!" Pain said as he pulled a revolver from in his robes and pointed it toward Maka. "Just know that every bullet you release goes into your friends skull!"

"You see what trouble these humans cause for your family, Kid?" Sorrow murmured in the Death God's ear. Kid didn't move, but watched in silent horror as a sister, Denial, approached Maka from behind.

Soul tried to warn Maka, but he couldn't before the fourth shinigami held a sharp edged kunai to her throat. Maka stiffened, but didn't show any emotion at the weapon poised against her jugular vein.

_Let her die_, a voice in Kid's head hissed. _She deserves it for the trouble she's caused. Besides, she's just a human, completely disposable. _

Kid could see the sweat dripping Liz's forehead as she kept pulling the gun from one target to another, her eyes wide. She couldn't protect Maka, and she couldn't protect herself.

Maka's eyes went wide and she suddenly shoved her weight into the sister, angling herself away from the knife. She swung Soul around, leaving a line of red across Denial's chest and shoulder as she shrieked.

"You bitch!" the sister shrieked as she lunged for Maka. The scythemeister sidestepped to her right, allowing the shinigami to miss and tumble to the ground while Maka twirled Soul on her wrist, the blade's edge landing inches from the throat of Denial. Dark blood, darker than any human blood, spilled from the cut across the shinigami's chest as she breathed heavily, her eyes wide and darting.

Simultaneously, Clarity darted to Regret's side, kicking him in the back and knocking him forward. Regret stumbled, causing Pain to come to his aide, pulling Clarity by her arm and causing her to cry out.

In the confusion, Liz fired a shot at Sorrow. The shinigami narrowed his eyes and he put his hand forward, deflecting the bullet with dark magic.

"Enough!" Sorrow shouted, his face taut with rage. He put his hand out, beckoning to a group that hung in the shadows. "Ariel," he called as the witches stepped forward, "Take our _guests _away until I decided what to do with them. A grigori soul may yet be of use to me," he mused.

Kid felt a pull toward the emerald eyed meister, her white dress matted in blood. She stood fiercely, her scythe held tightly in her grip and her body tense and alert. He took a step toward her, his body acting on instinct.

"_Subsisto. Est nihil vobis*" _Sorrow snapped, causing Kid to take an immediate step back. His mind clouded and his heart beat heavily in his chest, causing blood to pound. _"Somno," _Sorrow whispered as he noticed Kid's body shake. The Death God's eyelids fluttered and he fell to the ground, his body crumpled against the stone.

"Kid!" Maka shouted, rushing to his side. She was stopped by an arm pulling her back and shoving her toward the stone wall.

"Not so fast my pretty one," Ariel chuckled as she ripped Soul from Maka's grip, throwing him across the cavern. Maka grimaced in pain as her spine connected with the rough stone. "We have a nice little cell for you," the witch cackled as black feathers floated around her. "It'll be quite the delight for you and your friends, now that your lover has forgotten you."

Maka's eyes stared fiercely into Ariel's. She saw Kid carried away by the shinigami and her friends rounded up by the witches and pushed further into the tunnel. She heard Liz's hysterical cries and Clarity's soothing tones.

_How could Kid have abandoned me? _her mind raced. _He must be under their control, it has to be the scar! I have to save him._

Ariel began to chant slowly and Maka's eyes closed. She tried to fight off sleep, but eventually her body surrendered to the spell and slipped into unconsciousness.

**A/N: Hmmm, not my favorite chapter, but I think the next one will be really good. I was feeling kind of pissed off while writing this chapter since the last one (which I spent a week on) only got 5 reviews, while there are 54 followers! Come on guys, give me some credit. I'm putting this story out pretty fricking fast!**

**Responses:**

**QuantamTheory: As always, your reviews are amazing and constructive and bring me to tears! There is an upcoming chapter that is dedicated to you for all of your help in writing this!  
ZoeyAngel: It's hard because I feel like Kid can do no wrong, but if Kid was perfect there would be no real conflict in this story! Plus, and it pains me to say this, he's not perfect, so Maka has to save his ass.  
FrancyKid: I'm happy to surprise you! Honestly, I try not to make my stories too predictable because that's it's like a bad horror movie!  
MowenMaximus: I'm going as strong as I can!  
DeathEzio: I had so much fun writing that Lord Death scene, you don't even know!**

_**Translation**_

_**1* I am your Lord and Master, Obey Me!**_

_**2* Cease this foolishness and stop your summoning.**_

_**3* Leave now, Away from this witch.**_

_**4* Stop. She is nothing to you.**_


	13. Chapter 13 - Release

Maka could hear the sounds of her partner hurling his body against the door in frustration. His cell was across from hers, carved into the rough stone in the underworld. She could hear Liz's muffled sobs and Patty's soothing words resounding from across the way.

The scythemeister curled against the wall, steeling herself for whatever would come her way.

She lifted her head toward the door as she heard footsteps come closer to the door.

Maka hoped that it wasn't Sorrow, coming to remind her that they were going to find the perfect use for her 'unique' soul. She shuddered as she remembered the words he spoke in her ear that brought nothing but discomfort, and made her want to kick his yellowing teeth out.

Sorrow had been practically gloating about how he was in control of the current Death God, and there was nothing she could do to stop him He now had jurisdiction over the comings and goings of souls in the Near Shore, and her life was, quite literally, in his hands.

_He ran his hand along her collarbone and she winced at his touch. The skin was covered in green and purple bruises, inflicted upon her as she tried to fight him when he entered her cell. Maka had launched herself at the shinigami when he opened the cell door but he shoved her against the rock wall, her face scraping against the side. But now, he marveled at the injuries that covered her skin, touching them greedily. "Such life, such . . . vibrance," the shinigami muttered._

_She could hear her weapon partner calling to her, asking if she was okay. She couldn't answer, knowing very well that lying to Soul wasn't an option, nor would she be able to tell him what was happening. Maka swallowed the bile rising in her throat and stayed silent, avoiding looking at the shinigami before her._

_Sorrow's bony hand trailed up her neck and stopped at the bottom of her chin, gripping her face. Maka was forced to look into his pale eyes and the look in them made her want to cower. But she did no such thing, for if nothing else, Maka was a brave soul._

_There was nothing she could not face with a clear mind and a steadfast heart. She had to be strong, if for no one else, then for Kid. _

_She swallowed her fear and stared back at him resolutely, her emerald eyes unflinching._

_Sorrow's face lit up with a smirk and a throaty chuckle fell from his throat. "Such a delicate little thing you are, Persephone, no wonder he cared for you," he whispered. He ran his thumb across her cheek and felt a touch of satisfaction when she twitched. "But there's nothing you can do for him because he is mine." He leaned forward again so that his dry lips were just an inch from her ear. "__Flosculus non tenta me. Nunc meus es tu .*1 _

_Maka jerked back and he shoved her, pushing her against the wall. "Mind, body, and soul, because this is my hell now," Sorrow chuckled as he pulled back from her. He spared another glance at the small form on the ground before opening the wood and iron door and locking it behind him._

Maka hadn't seen anyone since then, and it felt like it had been hours since she had seen anyone. She tensed when she heard the footsteps approach and stop outside her cell.

The blonde crouched defensively, her muscles tightly wound and ready to coil.

As the door opened, a small filter of light flickered in and Maka gasped audibly.

Before her stood a young woman with honey colored curls and bright blue eyes. She was shrouded in a grey cloak, but the material did little to hide the expression on her face.

Maka could see the woman's soul clearly, a pale violet form that smiled warmly. It was a steadfast and constant presence with a strong sense of loyalty, that much was obvious.

"Who are you?" Maka whispered as the woman took a step toward her. She crouched down to the ground, her hand reaching out to touch Maka's bruises gently.

"We don't have much time, I need to get you out of here," the woman offered quietly as she began to undo the ropes that had held Maka's wrist tightly. The material chaffed and there were burns on the skin, but Maka sighed in relief as the pressure was removed.

The scythemeister rubbed her wrists gently while she stood up. "Why are you helping me?" Maka asked.

The woman smiled at her as she stood up and pulled the robe from her head. "Someone who loves Kid very much, and would do anything to fight for him," she said warmly. "Someone kind of like you."

Maka stared at her in wonder. This woman was not a shinigami like she feared, but who was she? Slowly, the pieces began to connect and she understood.

"Lisolette?" Maka asked quietly, reaching a hand out to touch the woman.

She nodded, a slight smile on her lips. It faded quickly and she reached for the door. "We don't have time right now, Peace is letting your friends out and then you have to go save my son. Please, go quickly."

Maka slipped out of the doorway quietly, her form sending shadows across the wall. She turned around to face Lisolette. "Aren't you coming?" she asked.

Lisolette shook her head sadly. "The dead cannot enter the presence of the brothers, and my time here is limited. It took all my energy just to save you, and now I must return to the other souls."

Her image began to fade slowly and Maka felt a pang of sadness. Even though she had just met this woman, she felt a sort of kinship with her, an almost companionship.

Before she disappeared completely, she called out to Maka. "Please, Maka, please save him. And thank you for loving him," Lisolette said quietly. Maka nodded resolutely, a smile on her lips that reached her eyes.

She would do everything it took to get Kid back. It wasn't just her own life at stake, or even the lives of her friends. Now the world was at stake because if the brethren were manipulating the system for soul retrieval already, who knew what they would do once Kid was completely removed from the equation.

She felt an arm wrap around her shoulder and she turned to smile at Soul. He looked over her and winced when he saw the bruises along her neck and shoulder and swore under his breath.

"I'll make that bastard pay," he said through gritted teeth, making Maka grin.

"Only if I don't kill him before you do."

Another arm was thrown across her shoulder and Maka turned her head to see Patty grinning at her. She looked a little worse for wear, but her eyes burned brightly.

Liz was sporting a black eye and a nasty cut on the side of her face, but she too looked ready to take on the world.

Maka sensed the presence of a shinigami soul and tensed. She relaxed when she realized it was Clarity and Peace, two sister shinigami still loyal to Kid.

They faced the group and Maka marveled at the fragile body Peace had. The girl was thin and frail, her head reaching the middle of Maka's chest if she stood on her tiptoes.

And yet the small form had a strong presence. Her eyes held wisdom and experience, the kind that only came from continual pain and sorrow.

Maka was only beginning to understand what that pain was. "Why are you helping us?" the scythemeister asked as she held out her hand for her partner's transformation.

Peace's gaze softened and she looked at Maka sadly as she bowed her head. "Too long I have watched my brothers and sisters tear themselves apart because of a curse. Today, we go to break it." Peace reached for her sister's hand and Clarity held onto it tightly, the two sisters united in their goals for their family. "Lyte's blinding love has hurt those I love, and I have done nothing to stop it. I thought that because I am the shinigami of Peace, I cannot fight. But I was wrong."

The team was led through a series of passages, ducking and hiding in the shadows. They pressed themselves against the wall whenever they heard voices, mercifully avoiding any confrontation.

Maka kept her soul perception up as she searched for Kid's soul. When she finally located it, she let out a sharp cry, causing Soul to ask what had happened.

Something was terribly, terribly wrong. His soul, usually so constant and in control, was in turmoil. There was no pain inflicted on it, but it was in torment regardless.

She tried to rush to him, throwing caution aside, but Clarity held out an arm to stop her.

"We can't rush into this, Maka," the sister warned, her eyes as hard as steel. "We don't know what's out there!"

Maka shook her head. "I can't sense any souls nearby, he's alone for now. All the shinigami expect us to be in our cells, and Sorrow believes he has Kid under his control," Maka reasoned. She threw Soul over her shoulder and sprinted down the tunnel.

The other members of the team wouldn't dare shout out to her, and instead followed her quietly, their eyes on constant alert for danger.

There was no door blocking Maka from her love, just a dark curtain in a doorway. Tentatively, she pushed it aside, preparing herself for the worst. She felt the thick fabric against her fingertips and she pulled strength from it as she set Soul down just outside the opening.

She wasn't prepared for what she saw on the other side.

With a cry, she crossed the small room and threw her arms around the shinigami, tears leaking from her eyes. "You're okay, you're okay," she whispered over and over as she held him tightly.

After only a moment, she noticed that Kid made no move to touch her, and had in fact, stiffened under her touch. His golden eyes stared back at her blankly as she pulled back from him. He put his hands on her shoulder, gripping the bone tightly. "Who are you?" he whispered.

What had once been the reassuring beat of his heart was now a resounding thudding in her ears. Maka couldn't think, she couldn't breathe. She reached out and brushed her hand against his cheek. "It's me, Kid. It's Maka," she offered as she caressed the skin.

A hint of recognition lit up in his eyes. "Maka . . . ?" he prodded. "I know that name. And your eyes," he whispered as he leaned into her touch. "I know those too. . ."

Maka smiled at him softly through the tears that had spilt down her face. He reached and ran his thumb across them, gathering the discharge from her eyes. "Why are you crying?" he asked, his voice filled with confusion.

Another sob tore it's way through Maka's throat as she leaned into him, her head resting in the crook of his neck. "I was so worried."

"Why? My family is taking care of me."

Maka reared back in shock and all the blood in her body rushed to her head. "Your family?" she asked incredulously. "You can't mean that!" Her eyes darted back and forth and she felt the world around her spinning. "You know who I am, you love me! You're not under their control anymore!" she shouted desperately.

"I'm not under any spell, I've just finally realized the value of my family. They are the only ones that have ever truly cared about me," he answered.

Maka heard Soul call from outside the room. "Maka, they're coming, grab him and go, we can't stay here!" Her partner's voice pulled her from the horrifying words Kid had spoken and she stood up quickly, pulling him with her.

He resisted, staying firmly on the ground. Maka stared at him in exasperation, trying to urge him to go with her.

Her heart was breaking in two pieces. She had worked so hard and thought she could save him. She thought that he loved her, and that it would be enough.

But it wasn't. Her love wasn't strong enough to free him. Maka could feel panic rising in her throat and her body was shaking.

"Maka, we have to go!" Soul shouted from the doorway.

"I can't leave him!" she shouted back desperately. The scythemeister looked between her weapon and her lover with pain in her eyes.

She could sense the approaching souls, but she didn't care anymore.

"We're not running away from this Soul," she said resolutely. "We're going to kill these bastards, and then we're leaving." Maka wiped the tears from her face and straightened, her hand reaching for Soul's.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked. "We're not in a good position, and we have no idea what Kid's going to do right now," Soul stated. Nevertheless, he reached out towards his meister, letting their souls resonate as he transformed.

Maka looked back to Kid as she hefted Soul over her shoulder. "I'm going to fix this," she said aloud. It was more for herself than it was for him, but she needed to say it.

Kid didn't say anything, he just stared at her blankly. Slowly, he nodded, as if accepting her actions. His golden eyes held only a glimmer of the emotion they used to hold, but Maka found hope in that little chance and it solidified her resolve.

Maka knew that Kid was still under Sorrow's control, that much was obvious. He couldn't remember her or their lives in the world above. But that didn't matter.

The steps of the shinigami and the brushing of their cloaks across the stone floor alerted Maka of their closeness.

The scythemeister strode out of the room confidently, Soul's weapon form held tightly in her hands. She was bruised and bloodied, she and her friends were tired, and she didn't know if she would survive the ensuing battle. But she would fight anyway.

"Somebody just doesn't seem to know their place," Sorrow snarled as stood just a few feet in front of Maka.

Maka twirled Soul around on her wrist and smirked. She gestured towards Sorrow with her left hand, "Sorrow the ancient shinigami, your days of manipulating and hurting others are over. Your soul is mine!" she shouted. She rushed forward, leaping across the distance between them.

She swung Soul around, catching Sorrow on his shoulder. The scythe was caught in the grip of Regret's bony hand who reached out to protect his leader. Maka jumped back, wrenching the scythe from his hand and sending the blade in a wide arc to clear the surrounding area.

Clarity ran forward, connecting her foot with Pain's chest while Liz let shots fly. The resounding shots echoed through the walls.

"The witches aren't coming to save you," Maka growled. "Their souls are aboveground now because you grew careless, thinking you had us trapped" she seethed as she ran toward Acceptance. The sister's leg gave a sickening snap as Maka thrust her foot against the back of her kneecap with all the force she could muster.

The shinigami cried out as she tumbled to the ground, reaching for Maka. The blonde rolled out of reach, twisting to avoid the scythe blade. She turned quickly as she stood up, her gaze roaming around, looking for Sorrow.

His pale yellow eyes held obvious disdain as he glared at the blonde meister. "Kid," he shouted suddenly. "I have a job for you."

Kid's lean form appeared in the doorway, his expression glazed over as he surveyed the scene unfolding. "What would you have me do?" he asked Sorrow.

Sorrow smirked, his eyes trained on Maka who stood stock still, staring at the boy she loved.

"Kill her."

Kid's expression didn't change as he strode toward Maka purposefully, each step slow and cat like. His golden eyes bore into Maka's soul. They were the eyes of a killer, not the eyes of the man that had protected her, had held her and promised her the world.. Maka reared back, holding the scythe in front of her defensively.

"You have to move, Maka!" Soul shouted from the blade, his voice filled with worry. He couldn't lose his meister and best friend right now, not when they were finally winning.

Clarity saw the look of fear in Maka's eyes and rushed in front of her.

Kid reached forward, purple light coming from the palm of his hand.

"I know this magic," Clarity muttered. She put her arms out, shielding Maka from what was about to come. "I do this for love," she told herself over and over.

Everything was happening so fast and Maka couldn't move. Liz was backed up to her friend, firing shots at the other shinigami, trying to keep them back while Peace was trying to pull Kid back.

Peace knew very well what he was doing, even if Kid didn't know himself. This was powerful reaper magic, the kind that would destroy someone instantly. Only a fully realized Death God could wield that kind of power, and few ever used it.

"Kid, no! You can't do this!" Peace shouted as he reached for the soul of Clarity. Violet wisps began to wrap around her body, tightening as he closed his fist.

"Oh yes he can," Sorrow sang as he stood back. His plan was working and soon, not only would that little flower girl be gone, but so would the shinigami sister that had bothered him for so long. Clarity had been a thorn in his side since she was created, trailing after their masters with hopeful eyes and lovestruck expressions. She never once questioned their leadership or their place in this world, accepting everything willingly. Sorrow's face hardened and he waited for Kid to finish the job.

"Kid! Stop! Please stop!" Maka shouted, tears streaming down her face. "You're killing her! She loves you and you're killing her!"

Kid's fist only continued to tighten until the purple mist began to choke Clarity.

The shinigami sister was gasping for air, her body beginning to convulse as it struggled. "Please," she begged with her last words. "Please let me see him again. . ." she whispered. Her topaz eyes went wide and she let out her last breath.

Clarity's soul left her body in a flash of light and she fell to the ground in a heap. Her skin was pale, the blue veins showing prominently. Maka reached for the shinigami's lifeless body, checking for a pulse, a heartbeat, anything.

There was nothing.

A cry came from Maka's throat and she stood up, her body shaking with anger. She turned toward Sorrow and pointed her scythe at the shinigami. "You bastard!" she shrieked. "I'm going to kill you!" She rushed toward him, her feet flying across the stone.

There was nothing that could stop this force, this grigori soul on a rampage of vengeance. She swung the scythe at Sorrow and backed him against a wall. He gazed at her fearfully, holding only a small blade in his hand.

"Kid!" he shouted, trying to regain the upper hand. "Kill her. You will do as I say and kill her!"

But Kid was on his knees in front of Clarity, his hands touching the fallen shinigami.

"I release you," Kid whispered. "Go be with your love, never to be parted again," he said to the soul hovering just inches from it's body. "Be free," he said as he stroked the gentle soul, wishing it farewell.

The scar on his wrist burned at his refusal to obey Sorrow, but this was more important.

"What have I done?" Kid whispered to himself, his hand gripping the side of his head. Before him lay the shinigami that had protected him, fought for him, and now, died for him. Memories rushed back to him. Lisolette, Patty, liz, Clarity. Maka.

He'd let them all down, failing every single one of them. The fog was lifting from his mind, leaving behind the memory of what he had done, who he had hurt. He stared at the lifeless body before him, bile rising in his throat. Here was a noble spirit, one that had given herself endlessly.

Her love had protected Maka, and protected him countless times.

And love is the only thing strong enough to break a curse.

He was glad to return her to her love, one that had been waiting for her for centuries. Nothing would break them apart.

The burning sensation faded and he stood up, his body shaking. "No," he said quietly. "No more."

"You will do as I say!" Sorrow shouted. Maka pushed the scythe blade against his throat, the sharp edge drawing blood.

"You are nothing," she hissed, "and your control of him is over. Bond or no bond, you are finished."

Maka didn't look as she shoved the blade upward. She felt the blood spray over her clothes and her face, the warmth of it making her shiver. She closed her eyes against the onslaught, but the feeling of relief that came with it made it worth it.

A thud came as his body fell across the stone and Maka finally opened her eyes.

Shinigami were littered across the floor, their souls waiting to be released. Peace stood before her, her fragile body bent over her fallen siblings as she released their souls one at a time. Other shinigami came forward from the shadows as they approached those left behind.

Soul came out of his weapon form and went to check on Liz. The demon pistol was badly shaken and was being held in the arms of her sister while she cried.

Kid slowly stood up from where he had been kneeling, his body weary and his expression lost. He locked eyes with Maka and guilt washed over him. He was supposed to be the one to protect her, and here she was, saving him again. She made her way over to him, stepping over the bodies of the other shinigami.

"You're okay," she breathed. She reached out to him, her arms going around his waist. There were tears streaming down her face and blood spattered across her clothes, but that didn't matter. "I thought I had lost you," she whispered.

Kid melted under her touch, his arms crushing her against him tightly. "I will always find my way back to you," he whispered as he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

Neither moved for a moment, just relishing the feeling of the other's soul as it washed over them both.

When they finally pulled apart, the shinigami that were still there swore their fealty to Kid, who accepted it wearily. He put Peace in charge of them, the ancient sister's wisdom needed in the delicate situation. She accepted her calling, knowing that her time in the background was over. She was needed now.

At the end of it all, Soul, Liz, and Patty were all sent back to the Near Shore to rest, but Maka stayed behind.

Her hand found it's way to Kid's, their fingers interlaced tightly. It was hours before they found themselves back in the comfort of his castle to clean themselves up.

They lounged across one of the sofas in his library, freshly cleaned and in dry clothes. Maka's head was on his shoulder and Kid's arm was wrapped around her back.

"I'm going to destroy it," Kid said, breaking the silence they had been in for awhile. Maka stared at him in confusion, asking him what he was going to destroy.

The brand was clutched in his hand, the metal gleaming in the light that flickered around them. "This brand shouldn't exist. Lyte made a mistake when she created. Bonds shouldn't be forced, but created through respect and love," he said softly as he turned the metal over and over in his palm.

"You're right," Maka said, pride in her voice. Here was a boy who had become a man, tossing aside generations of tradition and protocol, because he knew what was right.

Maka pushed a strand of hair back from his face, her touch light and loving as she placed a kiss on his cheek.

"What was that for?" he asked with a chuckle as he pulled her closer.

"I'm just really glad to have you back," she said quietly.

"I'm so lucky to have you," he said sincerely, planting a kiss on her lips. A sigh escaped Maka's mouth and he rewarded her with another kiss.

"Slow down" she teased, "we have plenty of time."

Kid stopped, a strange look crossing his face. "Well I think I want forever. I don't think a few moments, or even years with you will ever be enough. I want forever."

Maka smiled and leaned forward, her face just an inch away from his.

"Then forever you shall have."

**A/N: Okay sorry it took a full week, but this chapter was a bitch to write. I'm just glad I've kept my promise of at least one update a week! Anyway, next chapter is the epilogue, which I intend to post next week. Thanks for reading guys, and for the amazing reviews!**

**Responses**

**QuantamTheory: Yeah, cause Maka's hardcore, no way is she going to fall apart!  
ZoeyAngel: I'm glad to offer any encouragement and inspiration!**

**FrancyKid: IT WAS SO PAINFUL TO WRITE THE PART WHERE KID FORGOT MAKA I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE**

**DeathTheKat: Yeah, i'm kind of the worst about cliffhangers, I love ending on them. ;)**

**NiniHearts: Thanks for the advice!**

**DeathEzio: I LOVE hearing that you're on the edge of your seat, it means I'm doing my job!  
Carrotlime: Awww, Thanks!**

**Zombiekinx5948: Well here you go!**

_**Translation:**_

_**1)Little Flower, don't tempt me. You are mine now.**_

_**-Wri**_


	14. Chapter 14 - Epilogue

Maka Albarn awoke from her dreams with a start, her hair sticking to her face in a cold sweat and her body trembling. The coolness of the sheets and the gentle breeze from the window slowly made her aware of her surroundings as she took several deep breaths to calm herself against the soft sounds of rain against the windowpanes.

"Did you have another bad dream, love?"

The blonde was startled by the voice of her fiance. He looked up at her, his eyes hooded over from sleep as he propped himself up on his elbows. Maka sighed and nodded, leaning back into her pillow as she looked at him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly as he reached out to pull a strand of hair from her face.

She frowned slightly and shook her head. She didn't want to talk about her dream because she knew it would upset him. Couldn't it be enough to plague only her nights?

Kid groaned as he pulled himself up into a sitting position and pulled her onto his lap, knowing that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep until she was at least calmer. "Come on," he prodded as he kissed her neck, "just tell me. I want to hear," he pleaded.

Slowly, Maka nodded, allowing his touch to soothe her frayed nerves. "I'm not mad at you, Kid, I just don't understand," she said quietly.

Kid stop administering pecks along her neck and turned her so she was facing him. "What do you mean, love?" he asked, his eyes wide with confusion.

Maka took a deep breath. She had spent a lot of time thinking about these dreams since they had been plaguing her for months, keeping her from resting, and even putting a strain on her relationship. "I just really miss her," she offered quietly, her voice catching in her throat.

"I miss her too," Kid offered as he took her hands in his own. He could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes and he reached forward to clear them from the emerald orbs.

He knew the tell tale signs of emotional discharge from this girl. She would always take a deep breath, as if trying to keep the feelings from brimming over, and then bite her lip as if to distract herself. Sometimes the blonde would look away and fiddle with her hair, nervously twisting the strands. He had learned all these things and more in their five month engagement.

"I'm not supposed to tell you this," the reaper started, "but you know I can't bear to see you cry," he offered with a slight smile.

When her hurt expression turned to one of confusion, he decided to share a story with her.

"Clarity has asked every single Lord Death to take her life." Kid could feel his throat closing up as he shared the story he had heard from his father about the shinigami who had sacrificed herself for those she loved. "She had fallen in love with Hades' oldest son, something she probably told you, and was unrequited in her endeavors, at least while she was on this side."

Maka could remember the sister's lifeless body crumpling to the ground at her lover's hand, the images recurring in her mind almost every night when she crawled into bed. She knew it wasn't Kid's fault, but she couldn't help but associate him with the events, and it was taking a toll on their relationship.

"I don't know how he feels about her now," he continued, "but I know that her being separated from him for so long was painful, no matter the situation. Every shinigami has told her no. Every shinigami, that is, until she met me." Kid looked towards the window across from him, watching the raindrops fall steadily against the windowsill of the Gallows manor, as they were want to do at this time of night.

He could feel Maka's emerald gaze burning into him, so he continued. The shinigami understood that she needed closure on the death of her friend. "When I was 17, she begged me to take her life. I refused her, having been forewarned by my father of her plans. But she did elicit a promise from me, one that I kept."

"She made me promise that if she ever saved the life of someone I loved, then I would be obliged to take hers and return her to her lover. I agreed, never imagining that she would ever need to save someone for me. I was very wrong."

Maka reached forward and wrapped her arms around him, sensing his need to be comforted in that moment. His usually husky voice was cracked and filled with emotion and his body was slumped forward in weariness. She shushed him when he protested, putting her head in the crook of his neck.

His breath tickled the back of her neck, causing her to squirm slightly in his grip, making him chuckle. "I think that even in my far gone state, I knew the bargain I had made with her, and that's why I could do it. Hurt someone I love I mean," he whispered.

"She was ready to go," Maka mumbled. "She wanted to."

The scythemeister could feel their wavelengths humming together and she sighed in contentment at the feeling. A feeling like that could never get old.

Kid nodded as he tightened his grip around her. "I don't know a whole lot about what lies beyond death, even my knowledge is limited. But I know it'll work out for her."

"They have a lot of similarities," Maka mused.

Kid cocked an eyebrow at her remark and looked at her questioningly. "Who does?" he asked.

The scythemeister chuckled at the reaper's expression and leaned into his chest slightly, relishing the warmth. "Clarity and Persephone. Clarity didn't think she was light enough for her shinigami, but she's so similar to Persephone. She gave everything she had for the people she loved and followed her love to death. I want to be like that," Maka trailed off thoughtfully.

To love so fully and give oneself entirely would be hard to do, especially for an independent soul like hers, but it would be worth it.

The reaper smiled as he stroked the skin on her arm. "You want to die for love?"

Maka shook her head. "I think I'd rather _live _for it, but maybe that involves dying too."

The gentle patter of the rain against the window was the only sound in the room for a moment while the couple listened to the sound of the other's heartbeats, almost perfectly in synch while their resonance hummed gently.

"Maka, we tried to see Lyte and she refused to even meet you, we have to let this go."

"There has to be another way," she retorted back. She could hear the thickness and strain in his voice.

What he said was true, they had gone to see the goddess Lyte, and she had refused to meet them, sending one her angel's to tell them to return. Apparently the epitome of goodness was also very good at holding a grudge. Their hope of turning Maka immortal had been dashed to pieces and that's when they had begun to feel the strain on their relationship.

Things had been so perfect when they restored order to the Far Shore. Kid divided the shinigami under Peace and they were collecting souls efficiently. The Grim Reaper proposed to his lover shortly after, placing a white gold band with a pale emerald, the same shade as her eyes, surrounded by eight perfectly centered diamonds, on her left ring finger. And then an identical one on her right hand for symmetrical purposes.

They had then gone to Lyte, hoping to find a way to let Maka live longer than the average mortal life span so they could be together. After the goddess refused, Maka began to have frequent dreams of watching her friend's death over and over again.

She wondered whether it was worth pursuing this immortality, this glittering idea that seemed so out of reach.

But when she looked into Kid's molten gold eyes, she knew that she would pursue it at any cost.

"What if I take her place?" Maka asked suddenly, her emerald eyes widening at the idea.

Kid stared at her in shock, his mouth agape. "What do you mean, 'take her place'?" he asked.

"What if I become a shinigami like Clarity and help people through the stages of death, just like she did? You told me that each Lord death is supposed to create a shinigami to help humans go through the stages, but you haven't yet! What if I do it?" The blonde's voice continued to raise as she became more and more excited at the prospect of doing just that. "Maybe Clarity's trying to tell me something with these dreams? Maybe this is what I'm supposed to do!"

"Maka, I can't involve you in death anymore, you're already so close to it!"

"Please?" she asked.

That simple word was enough to break Kid's resolve. Maka never asked for anything so he knew this wasn't some passing fancy. She truly wanted this.

She was right; he hadn't created a shinigami yet. Maybe it was because of the general distrust he held for them, or maybe he was waiting for the right time.

Maka becoming a shinigami would enable her to be by his side for the rest of their lives. It was really a no brainer.

He took a deep breath and let it out as he looked into her moss green eyes. "Okay," he agreed reluctantly, groaning slightly. "But on one condition. Well, two, actually," he said, holding up two fingers.

Maka squealed and threw her arms around his neck, the soft cotton of her grey sleeping shirt rubbing against his skin. "Anything, name it!" she declared excitedly.

"First, you let me pick your name and stage." Maka nodded at this, perfectly happy with the demand.

"The second is that we bind our souls so that we never have to be separated like Hades and Persephone," he stated thickly.

She could hear how hard it was for him to give in to her demands, but she knew it was the right thing to do. She agreed immediately and sleep finally began to overcome the blonde meister and she lay down again for the night, curling up against her lover as sleep overtook her.

For the first night in a long time, she slept peacefully.

**A/N: Okay, so originally this was going to be a one part epilogue, but then I decided I wanted an opinion on what Maka's stage would be. Keep in mind we already have Sorrow, Pain, Regret, Acceptance, Peace, and Clarity. If there's one I've mentioned in the story but forgotten to mention in this list, just tell me. So put a review of what you think of the idea and what Maka's new name should be! (And yes, she will still go by Maka too!) Also, I guess you guys didn't enjoy the last chapter a lot since it only got 3 reviews . . . :(**

**Responses: DeathEzio: Just wait, there's going to be a ceremony and everything!  
QuantamTheory: Awww, thanks! It was a pain in the ass, but it was worth it to finish this story out. Now to just tie up any loose ends . . .**

**FrancyKid: But cruel in a good way, right?**

**Thanks for the love on this story, I promise, the end is nigh!**

**-Wri **


	15. Chapter 15 - Ever After

Maka took a deep breath as she slid the grey hood over her ash blonde tresses. The fabric was soft and shielded most of her face from view, something Maka had to admit that she enjoyed.

"Come on squirt, are you ready or not?"

The blonde turned to her weapon and stuck her tongue out at him. "Calm down, Soul, this is a big moment," she growled back at him.

Soul's eyes softened and he put his hand out to his best friend. "I know it is. But we shouldn't keep Kid waiting forever, you know how he is."

Maka let out a laugh because she knew very well how uptight her fiance could be when it came to punctuality. "Alright," she conceded as they headed towards the pavilion. "I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

As they approached the pavilion, Maka was surprised by the beauty of it. They were in the Underworld for the ceremony and there were spirits strolling freely. Among them, Maka recognized both Lisolette, Kid's foster mother, and Vera, the witch that had helped rescue Maka.

There were garlands of black orchids and kohlroeschen* hanging around the stone walls and columns. The dark skyline caressed the peaks of the mountains in the distance, creating an unforgettable backdrop.

On one side of the pavilion stood her friends and her father; on the other side stood the shinigami and spirits that had been invited. Dead center was the dark haired youth that held her heart, standing behind a stone altar with a glass of blood red wine.

He smiled at her affectionately when he saw her approach. The guests all parted ways, allowing for her to approach the the altar without incident.

_This is it, Maka_, she thought to herself. The only sound was the brushing of her cloak against the stone floor as she crossed the distance. She could hear her heartbeat and her blood pounding as she tried to stay calm.

The girl stopped in front of the altar, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. Soul then stepped away from her, joining Liz to the left. He squeezed Maka's hand assuredly before walking away, and she squeezed it back.

She could always count on her best friend, and nothing was going to change that.

Kid stood before her, warmth and joy radiating from his frame. He smiled at her and reached out his right hand across the altar which she took and held onto tightly.

The shinigami cleared his throat before beginning. "Do you hereby promise to do everything within your power to help the passing of mortals from the physical world?" he asked.

"I do," Maka said.

Kid sent a glowing smile at her and he brushed his fingers against her wrist. "And do you," he continued, "intend to assist your Lord of Death in your duties as a shinigami to the best of your abilities, using your own judgement and compassion to guide you?"

"I do."

Maka braced herself. She knew what all of the questions would be and what her answer to each one was supposed to be, with the exception of the third question. Kid had told her it was meant to be a secret and so she didn't press it. Though she had to admit that the ceremony was very reminiscent of a wedding. Of course, that would have to wait a little while longer. . .

The shinigami could feel the warmth of her hand and he drew comfort from it before taking a deep breath. "And do you, promise to stay by my side, as a shinigami," he paused, finding the nerve to continue, "and as my wife, our souls never to be parted?"

Her cheeks flushed and she let out a gasp of surprise, but she did not remove her hand from his. Instead, she put her left one out for him. "I do," she whispered.

Kid smiled and leaned across the altar, placing identical wedding bands on her ring fingers and planting a chaste kiss on her lips.

"Are you mad that I combined the ceremonies?" he whispered mischievously.

"Not really," Maka remarked, "I was wondering why you wouldn't let me choose a venue, even after I found one that was perfectly symmetrical," she said with a giggle.

They could hear Spirit wailing behind them, while Patty and Liz were sniffling at the sight in front of them.

Kid shushed the guests, pointing out that the ceremony was not yet over.

"Don't you have declare something by the power vested in you by whatever the hell you want it to be?" Soul called from the aisle.

"Not that ceremony, the shinigami one," Kid retorted good naturedly. He turned to Maka, sending a heart breaking smile her way.

"Maka, you are the bravest soul that I know. You stand up for what you believe in and what you know is right. You're loving, you're compassionate, determined, intelligent, and just _so good."_

_Don't cry Maka, don't cry you little bitch._

"You find a way to love everyone, even me."

_Oh damn it, just let the tears flow._

Kid's eyes softened when he saw the tears begin to flow freely down her cheeks and he found his voice choking. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You were never afraid to do whatever it took to protect the people you love. You make me feel . . . free to do things that I never imagined I could. You're enlightening, and you inspire those around you with your bravery every day."

_It's like he's trying to make me cry._

"So today, to complete your transition to the role of shinigami, I name you Courage."

Any noises that were made by the audience at the point were abruptly stopped as they stared at the slim girl before them, now a literal angel of death.

Kid continued on, his voice confident as he faced his friends and shinigami. "May you help people pass this world, giving them the courage they need to accept the past and face what lies beyond. I hope you inspire them with your bravery to continue living, even after their physical death. And I hope," he stumbled, the words spilling out, "that you have the same courage that you inspire in others, for the rest of your life."

Maka leapt over the altar, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling her to her as the tears pooled on her face. "I love you so much," she rasped in between hiccups. He kissed her again, finding that immortality did little to change the liveliness of the girl in his arms.

"There is one more thing," he said after he let her go.

"Awww come on Kid, how much longer are to focus on you guys?" Black Star shouted from his seat. Tsubaki elbowed him, causing the assassin to snicker and put his arm around his wife.

"Not much longer," he said. "You all are free to leave if you wish, as this will be between me and Maka."

Liz whooped from her seat. "Whoo! Get it, Kiddo!" she cheered.

Both Kid and Maka blushed beet red until Kid began to shake his head vigorously. "It's not like that!" he said.

Spirit continued to wail across the pavilion until Blair put a glass of scotch in his hand and his whimpers died down.

As the guests began to mingle and partake of the alcohol (provided by Kid) the newlyweds snuck away, standing at the edge of the lake by the castle.

"It really is beautiful here," Maka said as she leaned against her husband. He stood behind her, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist,

"Mhmm," he said against her neck as he pulled away. He slid the hood off her face, allowing her ash blonde hair to fall forward,

"I have something to give you," he said, reaching into his pocket.

Maka began to giggle. "Really, Kid, if you put any more rings on my fingers, my hands are going to fall off," she teased.

The shinigami shook his head, pulling a silver chain from his pocket. He reached behind her, pulled aside her hair, and tied the clasp behind her neck.

Her hand fluttered up to the pendant and she looked at it in confusion. "A pomegranate seed?*"

she asked.

Kid let her hair fall back into place, tucking a few loose strands behind her ear. "I thought pomegranates were appropriate, considering our predecessors," he smirked.

Maka nudged him affectionately. "Thank you, it's beautiful."

"I had it preserved so you'll always have it. I hope you don't ever lose that," he warned as he took her hand and led her over to a stone bench at the edge of the lake.

"Well I don't intend to, but why this piece in particular?"

Kid reached out and fingered the pendant gently between his thumb and index fingers. "Because like you have a piece of my heart, this pendant has a part of my soul. _Tenetur anima tua in aeternumn. _My soul is bound to you forever," he whispered.

Maka stared at him in wonder, her emerald eyes still glazed over from the tears. "I know I keep saying this, but I guess I'll probably be saying it forever now. Thank you."

"No, thank you," he said as he pulled her onto his lap. "Thank you for saving me from myself, from this eternity alone. Thank you for seeing the man behind the neuroticism."

"Yeah, it was kind of hard sometimes," she teased as she placed her hand on his chest. "But you have a lot of time to make that up to me."

He kissed her, tightening his grip around her waist. Grinning, he pulled away, his golden eyes hooded. "And I intend to use every minute of it."

_Fine_

A/N: **First off, this is the longest story I've ever completed, so hats off to me for doing it and for you guys for sticking with it! Second, did anybody ever notice that when I talked about Lyte's angels, they were slaves to her as the shinigamis were to Death? I just thought of it that way since she's kind of a controlling bitch she need that. I tried to incorporate what everyone suggested for Maka in some way or another for her name (Sorry if I missed you!) And Lastly, This story is in a Soul X Maka Community and that confuses the hell out of me. Nowhere in this story is there any real SoMa, but whatever, you do you. A Special thanks to all of you for being a part of this, for inspiring and encouraging me whenever my motivation died. P.S. I started a new fanfic called "The Sound of Resonance," and it's a songfic so check it out if you can! Also, I'm working on a series of Fairy Tale oneshots, and the next one is KiMa Cinderella! (Whoo! Should be up before the end of the week!)**

**Responses:**

**Lil'OldNarcissisticMe: You took the words right out of my mouth! I had been thinking about Courage for some time (Though it was a toss up between that and bravery!)**

**QuantamTheory: You are an incredibly insightful person and I am astounded by your general knowledge. Please keep writing and reviewing, you are an absolute treasure!**

**ZoeyAngel: Yep! Check out The Sound of Resonance on my page!**

**FrancyKid: Yes, the moment is bittersweet, but I'm also very happy to have finished I story that I am proud of and consider a success and a credit to my name.**

**Musing Reaper: That's really good actually, I liked enlightenment. I picture him as a shinigami with soft amber eyes and a wide smile. He always has a book with him, and a pencil to write down what comes to mind! See, you inspire me to create characters with just a word!**

**Mowen Maximus: Thanks! Courage was my favorite too!**

**Mysteri Mystar'i: I thought about Denial but I actually already created that character like 7 chapters back! Thanks for the review though!**

**DeathEzio: I totally get where you're going with the Freedom thing! Did you see how I threw that in there! *nudges elbow* Eh?**

**TheMeaneststorm: I'm happy to deliver!**

**Mysterygirlanonymous: Your name is certainly mysterious, but your review was great appreciated!**

***Koehlroschen is an Austrian flower that grows in the alps. It's very rare, but it's said to have the sweetest scent. Look it up if you want to see a picture (It's not very pretty, which is why it would be in the underworld)**

***2 The idea of the pomegranate seed pendant is credited to QuantamTheory and her wonderful imagination! Shout out to you for being the perfect person to bounce ideas off of!**

**Wow, sorry for the long-ass author's note, but I had a lot to say to you guys. I hope my next story goes as well as this one!**

**-Wri **


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